Yarrow Companion Plants: Top 10 Flowers, Herbs & Vegetables to Grow Together

Published: 17 Feb 2025

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is a hardy, drought-tolerant perennial plant. It is known for its feathery, fern-like leaves and clusters of small, brightly colored flowers. It thrives in poor soil, full sun, and dry conditions. It is a fantastic choice for low-maintenance gardens. This plant is commonly found in meadows, wildflower gardens, and home landscapes. It adds beauty while offering numerous benefits to the surrounding plants.

Yarrow is highly valued in companion planting, a gardening practice where certain plants are grown together to enhance growth, repel pests, and improve soil health. When paired with the right plants, yarrow acts as a natural protector by attracting pollinators, deterring harmful insects, and enriching the soil with nutrients.

Table of Content

Why is Companion Planting with Yarrow Beneficial?

Companion plants strategically place plants to create a mutually beneficial growing environment. Yarrow is particularly valuable in this practice because of its unique properties:

It attracts beneficial insects. Yarrow’s tiny flowers are a magnet for bees, butterflies, and predatory insects like ladybugs and lacewings, which help control pests such as aphids and caterpillars.
It repels harmful pests. The strong scent of yarrow deters mosquitoes, nematodes, and harmful beetles, reducing the need for chemical pesticides.
Yarrow improves soil quality. It has deep roots that bring up nutrients from the subsoil, making them available to nearby plants. As it decomposes, it enriches the soil with organic matter.
Yarrow boosts neighboring plant growth. Many plants grow stronger and healthier when planted near the yarrow due to its natural ability to enhance plant resilience and deter common diseases.
Yarrow thrives in dry, sandy, or rocky soil. It is a great companion for plants that prefer similar conditions, helping conserve moisture in the soil.

With its low-maintenance nature and multiple benefits, yarrow is a valuable vegetable, herb, or ornamental flower in any garden. The right companion plants will maximize these benefits, creating a healthier, more productive garden.

Yarrow companion plants pictures — **Yarrow companion plant pictures**

Benefits of Companion Planting with Yarrow

Companion planting is a natural way to improve plant health, deter pests, and boost garden productivity. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is one of the best plants to use for companion planting because of its unique ability to attract pollinators, repel harmful insects, improve soil quality, and support weaker plants. Let’s explore these benefits in detail.

Attracts Pollinators

Yarrow produces tiny, nectar-rich flowers that attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. These insects play a crucial role in the garden by helping flowers, fruits, and vegetables set seeds and produce more yield.

Bees love yarrow because its flowers provide an abundant nectar source. By planting yarrows near fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, and strawberries, you can increase their pollination rates and get better harvests.
Butterflies are also drawn to yarrow, adding beauty to your garden while helping fertilize plants.
Beneficial insects like ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps use yarrow as a habitat. These insects prey on aphids, caterpillars, and mites, which help naturally control pests in the garden.

Repels Pests

Yarrow attracts helpful insects and acts as a natural pest deterrent. The strong scent of its leaves and flowers confuses and repels common garden pests.

Aphids dislike yarrow’s scent and tend to stay away from gardens where yarrow is planted.
Mosquitoes are naturally repelled by yarrow, making it a great choice for outdoor gardens and patio areas.
Harmful beetles and nematodes that attack vegetable roots are less likely to infest areas where yarrow is present.

By planting yarrows near lettuce, carrots, and cabbage, you can help protect these crops from insect damage without relying on harmful pesticides.

Enhances Soil Health

Yarrow is deep-rooted, meaning its roots pull nutrients from the lower layers of the soil. It brings them closer to the surface, benefiting shallow-rooted plants. Over time, as yarrow sheds its leaves and flowers, it adds organic matter to the soil, which improves soil fertility.

Yarrow’s decomposing plant material enriches the soil with nitrogen and other essential nutrients, helping companion plants grow stronger.
It improves soil structure by loosening compacted soil, allowing better drainage and air circulation around plant roots.
Yarrow is sometimes used as a green mulch or compost activator to enhance soil health naturally.

Encourages Growth

The plants are struggling to grow because of weak root systems, pest issues, or poor soil quality. Yarrow acts as a companion protector, helping weaker plants grow stronger by:

Attracting pollinators and beneficial insects that support plant health.
Repelling pests that commonly weaken vegetables and flowers.
Sharing nutrients by drawing minerals from deep within the soil and making them accessible to shallow-rooted plants.

For instance, tomatoes and cucumbers tend to be prone to pest infestations. By growing yarrow nearby, you reduce the risk of pests and boost their overall resilience.

Low Maintenance

One of the best things about yarrow is that it doesn’t require much care. It grows well in dry, sandy, or rocky soil, making it ideal for low-maintenance gardens.

Drought-Tolerant: Yarrow can survive with minimal water, making it a great choice for areas with hot, dry summers.
Thrives in Poor Soil: Unlike many plants that need nutrient-rich soil, yarrow adapts well to poor soil conditions and still provides benefits to neighboring plants.
Hardy and Perennial: Once established, yarrow comes back year after year, providing continuous benefits to your garden.

Even if you forget to water your yarrow plants, they’ll continue to flourish and support your other crops without much effort!

Final Thoughts

Adding a yarrow in the garden is a natural support system for your vegetables, herbs, and flowers. From attracting helpful insects to repelling pests and improving soil health, yarrow is one of the best companion plants you can grow.

Best Yarrow Companion Plants

Companion planting with yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is a great way to improve plant health, attract beneficial insects, and enhance your garden’s resilience. Yarrow pairs well with a variety of vegetables, herbs, flowers, and fruit plants, making it a versatile and valuable addition to any garden.

Let’s explore the best plants to grow alongside yarrow and how they benefit from this hardy, low-maintenance companion.

Yarrow is an excellent companion for many vegetables, herbs, flowers, and fruit plants as it repels pests, attracts pollinators, and improves soil health.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are vulnerable to aphids, whiteflies, and hornworms. It can damage leaves and reduce fruit production. Yarrow naturally repels these pests while attracting ladybugs and parasitic wasps that help keep harmful insects in check.

Yarrow enhances the flavor of tomatoes by improving soil conditions and nutrient absorption. Plant the yarrow near tomato beds to support healthier growth and tastier fruit.

Lettuce

Lettuce is a delicate leafy vegetable that often attracts aphids and slugs. The strong scent of yarrow acts as a natural deterrent, helping to keep these pests away.

Lettuce has shallow roots, so planting it near deep-rooted yarrow prevents competition for nutrients. This allows both plants to thrive without affecting each other’s growth.

Cucumbers

Cucumber plants rely on pollinators like bees and butterflies to produce fruit. Yarrow’s colorful, nectar-rich flowers draw these essential insects to the garden, ensuring better pollination and higher cucumber yields.

Planting yarrow around cucumber vines can also help protect against cucumber beetles and other pests that damage leaves and stems.

Basil

Basil is well-known for repelling mosquitoes and flies. It is a great partner for Yarrow. The two plants create a fragrant, pest-free garden environment while supporting the growth of neighboring vegetables like tomatoes and peppers.

Basil and yarrow also complement each other aesthetically, adding greenery and flowers to herb gardens.

Lavender

Both yarrow and lavender are drought-tolerant, sun-loving perennials that thrive in similar conditions. Their combination results in a low-maintenance garden filled with beautiful purple and white flowers attracting bees and butterflies.

Lavender’s calming scent enhances the garden’s aroma, making it a relaxing space while keeping unwanted pests like moths away.

**yarrow companion with lavender plant**

Rosemary

Rosemary prefers dry, sandy, well-drained soil, like yarrow. When planted together, they form a hardy, low-water garden bed that requires little maintenance.

Yarrow also attracts pollinators that can benefit rosemary’s small flowers, helping to boost growth and overall garden health.

Echinacea (Coneflower)

Echinacea and yarrow are wildflowers that attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Their bright colors and similar growth habits make them perfect companions in a pollinator-friendly garden.

Since both plants are drought-resistant perennials, they can grow side by side without needing much water or maintenance.

Echinacea with yarrow companion — **Echinacea (Coneflower) with yarrow companion**

Black-Eyed Susan

Like yarrow black-eyed susans thrive in full sun, their yellow and orange flowers contrast beautifully with yarrow’s white or pink blooms, creating a colorful, eye-catching garden bed.

Both plants attract butterflies and bees, helping to increase pollination and overall plant health in the garden.

Marigolds

Marigolds are famous for repelling pests like aphids, nematodes, and whiteflies. It is a great companion for yarrow.

When planted together, marigolds and yarrows create a natural pest barrier around vegetable gardens, reducing the need for chemical pesticides. Their vibrant yellow and orange flowers add beauty to any garden space.

Strawberries

Strawberries require well-drained soil to prevent root rot. Yarrow naturally loosens compacted soil. It helps improve drainage, allowing strawberry plants to grow healthier and produce juicier, sweeter fruit.

Yarrow attracts bees, which play a key role in strawberry pollination, leading to larger and more abundant harvests.

**Yarrow with strawberries best companion**

Blueberries

Blueberry plants need pollinators like bees and butterflies for fruit development. Yarrow is a pollinator magnet. Planting it near blueberry bushes can significantly improve their pollination success rate.

Yarrow can pull nutrients from deep in the soil. It is beneficial for blueberries, ensuring they receive a steady supply of essential minerals.

Final Thoughts

Yarrow is a versatile and beneficial companion plant for a wide variety of vegetables, herbs, flowers, and fruit plants. Yarrow is an excellent choice if you want to improve pollination, repel pests, enhance soil health, or create a colorful, low-maintenance garden.

Plants to Avoid Growing with Yarrow

While yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is a beneficial companion plant, it does not pair well with all garden plants. Some plants may compete for resources, have different water needs, or grow aggressively, making them unsuitable companions for yarrows.

Here are five plants you should avoid growing with yarrow and why they aren’t a good match.

Mint

Mint is a fast-growing, invasive herb that spreads through underground runners. When planted near the yarrow, it can quickly overtake garden space, stealing nutrients and water from the yarrow and nearby plants.

Why Avoid It?
- Mint’s aggressive growth can crowd out Yarrow.
- Competes for nutrients and soil space.
- Prefers moist soil, while yarrow thrives in dry conditions.

Alternative: Instead of planting mint near yarrow, grow it in containers or separate garden beds to prevent its spread.

Lettuce

Lettuce is a shallow-rooted vegetable that requires constant moisture to prevent wilting and bitterness. Yarrow, on the other hand, is a drought-tolerant plant that thrives in well-drained, dry soil. These different water needs make them incompatible garden companions.

Why Avoid It?
- Lettuce needs frequent watering, which can cause root rot in yarrow.
- Yarrow prefers dry, well-drained soil, while lettuce wilts without moisture.
- Watering lettuce frequently may lead to overwatering yarrow, weakening its growth.

Alternative: Grow lettuce in a separate, moisture-rich garden bed away from drought-loving plants like yarrow.

Spinach

Like lettuce, spinach is a water-loving, cool-season vegetable that struggles in dry, hot conditions. Yarrow’s preference for full sun and low water makes it a poor companion for spinach.

Why Avoid It?
- Spinach needs consistent moisture, while yarrow thrives in dry soil.
- Prefers cooler temperatures, while yarrow does best in warm, sunny areas.
- Frequent watering of spinach can negatively affect yarrow’s growth.

Alternative: Grow spinach in a partially shaded area with consistent watering to keep it healthy.

Cilantro

Cilantro is an herb that requires moist, rich soil to grow well. It doesn’t tolerate dry conditions, making it an unsuitable match for yarrow, which thrives in poor, dry, well-drained soil.

Why Avoid It?
- Cilantro needs frequent watering, which can cause overwatering issues for yarrow.
- Grows best in nutrient-rich soil, while yarrow can handle poor soil conditions.
- Has short growth cycles, meaning it bolts quickly in hot, dry conditions near the yarrow.

Alternative: Plant cilantro near parsley, basil, or chives, which have similar growing needs.

Hostas

Hostas are shade-loving perennials that need moist, nutrient-rich soil to thrive. Yarrow, on the other hand, requires full sun and well-drained, dry soil, making these two plants incompatible.

Why Avoid It?
- Hostas prefer shade, while yarrow needs full sun.
- Yarrow’s drought tolerance makes it unsuitable for moist soil conditions needed by hostas.
- Hostas require rich, fertile soil, while yarrow grows well in nutrient-poor soil.

Alternative: Grow hostas in shaded garden beds with other moisture-loving plants like ferns and astilbes.

Final Thoughts

Yarrow is an amazing companion plant, but it doesn’t get along with all garden plants. Plants that require moist, rich soil or grow aggressively should not be planted near yarrow, as they can hinder its growth or suffer due to mismatched growing conditions.

Tips for Growing Yarrow with Companion Plants

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is a low-maintenance, hardy plant that thrives in varied garden conditions. However, to get the best results when growing yarrow alongside companion plants, you need to consider location, spacing, and care techniques.

Follow these essential tips to ensure your yarrow and its companions grow together successfully.

Choose the Right Location

Yarrow is a sun-loving perennial that thrives in dry, well-drained soil. Choosing the right location is crucial for healthy growth and ensuring your companion plants benefit from yarrow’s presence.

✅ Best Growing Conditions for Yarrow:

Sunlight: Needs at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily.
Soil Type: Prefers well-drained, sandy, or rocky soil.
Watering Needs: Low water requirements—thrives in drought conditions.

Avoid planting yarrow in:

Shady areas – It will become leggy and weak.
Heavy clay soil – Poor drainage can cause root rot.
Overly moist locations – Yarrow does best in dry soil with occasional watering.

Tip: If your soil retains too much moisture, consider planting yarrow in a raised bed or sandy soil mix for better drainage.

Space Properly

Proper spacing is essential when growing yarrow with companion plants. Overcrowding can lead to poor air circulation, increased humidity, and disease development.

✅ Ideal Spacing for Yarrow:

12-24 inches apart to allow room for growth.
Tall plants like tomatoes and echinacea should be placed at the back of a garden bed to prevent overshadowing smaller plants.
Shorter plants like lettuce and strawberries should be placed in front or around yarrow for a balanced layout.

Why is spacing important?

Prevents mildew and fungal diseases caused by trapped moisture.
Reduces competition for nutrients and sunlight.
Helps beneficial insects move freely between plants for pollination and pest control.

Tip: If you’re planting yarrow in a pollinator garden, mix it with other flowering plants in a staggered pattern to create a more natural, wildflower-style arrangement.

Regular Pruning

Yarrow is a long-blooming perennial, but regular pruning is key to maintaining a healthy, attractive plant. Removing spent flowers helps prolong blooming, control spread, and prevent self-seeding.

✅ How to Prune Yarrow for Better Growth:

Deadhead faded flowers – This encourages new blooms and extends the flowering period.
Cut back in late summer – After the first bloom cycle, trim stems by one-third to promote a second flush of flowers.
Trim in early spring – Remove dead or weak stems to allow fresh growth.

What happens if you don’t prune yarrow?

Becomes leggy and unkempt.
May self-seed aggressively, spreading uncontrollably.
Older flowers will block new buds from developing.

Final Thoughts

Growing yarrow with companion plants can improve your garden’s health, biodiversity, and visual appeal. By selecting the right location, spacing plants correctly, and keeping up with pruning, you can ensure that both yarrow and its companions thrive together.

FAQs About Yarrow Companion Planting

Can Yarrow Improve the Health of My Vegetable Garden?

Yes! Yarrow is an excellent companion plant for vegetable gardens because it attracts beneficial insects that help control pests and improve pollination.

How Does Yarrow Benefit Vegetables?

Attracts Pollinators – Bees and butterflies love yarrow, which helps increase fruit and vegetable production.
Lures Predatory Insects – Ladybugs, lacewings, and hoverflies feed on aphids, caterpillars, and other harmful pests.
Enhances Soil Quality – Yarrow’s deep roots break up compacted soil and improve nutrient circulation.
Repels Harmful Pests – Its scent deters mosquitoes, aphids, and cabbage worms, reducing the need for chemical pesticides.

Does Yarrow Spread Too Much?

Yes, a yarrow can spread quickly, but you can control its growth with proper care.

Why Does Yarrow Spread?

Yarrow grows through underground rhizomes, meaning it spreads naturally over time.
It self-seeds easily, especially if the flowers are not trimmed after blooming.

How to Control Yarrow’s Growth:

Prune Regularly – Cut back spent flowers before they drop seeds.
Divide Clumps – Every 2-3 years, dig up and divide large yarrow plants to keep them manageable.
Use Barriers – If you want to contain a yarrow, plant it in raised beds or garden borders.

Conclusion:

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is more than just a beautiful, drought-tolerant plant—it’s a powerful companion in any garden. Whether you’re growing vegetables, herbs, flowers, or fruit plants, yarrow plays a vital role in improving soil health, attracting pollinators, and repelling pests.

Why Should You Plant Yarrow as a Companion?

Attracts beneficial insects like bees, butterflies, and predatory bugs.
Improves soil structure by breaking up compacted soil and adding organic matter.
Repels harmful pests such as aphids, mosquitoes, and cabbage worms.
Thrives in poor soil and requires little water, making it a low-maintenance choice.
Encourages healthy growth in neighboring plants, helping your garden flourish.

While yarrow offers many benefits, it’s essential to choose the right companion plants and manage its spread to keep your garden balanced. Avoid pairing it with water-loving plants like lettuce or invasive herbs like mint that may compete for space and nutrients. By following simple growing tips, such as proper spacing, pruning, and soil selection, you can make the most of yarrow’s natural advantages. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced gardener, yarrow is a fantastic addition to any vegetable, herb, or flower garden.