The flowering perennial yarrow is known for its fern-like leaves and bright flowers. It makes a great companion plant for attracting good bugs and helping them spread pollen. But yarrow has specific needs for growing and needs to be carefully paired with other plants. Companions that aren’t right for yarrow can steal its light, water, and nutrients. They may also spread disease or create unfavorable growing conditions.
When integrating yarrow into your garden, it’s important to know what not to plant next to it. Avoiding unsuitable companion plants will ensure your yarrow and its neighbors can thrive. Here we’ll look at 7 plants that don’t pair well with yarrow and better companion options.
Yarrow’s Growing Needs
Before exploring incompatible companions let’s look at yarrow’s ideal growing conditions:
- Full sun – Requires at least 6 hours of direct sun daily
- Well-drained soil – Dislikes wet, compacted soil
- Average fertility – Tolerates poor soil but prefers moderate fertility
- pH of 6.0-8.0 – Grows best in neutral to slightly alkaline soil
- Average watering – Needs regular watering but not excessive moisture
- Good air circulation – Prone to fungal issues in humid conditions
With these requirements in mind, here are 7 plants you’ll want to avoid interplanting with yarrow
7 Plants Not to Grow with Yarrow
1. Shrubs and Trees
Tall shrubs and trees don’t make good yarrow companions, as they can block needed sunlight Insufficient light leads to weak, leggy growth and reduced blooms in yarrow. Choose shorter companion plants or give yarrow full sun exposure
2. Heavy Feeders
Nutrient-hungry plants like corn, tomatoes, and melons are not ideal companions, as they rapidly deplete soil nutrients also needed by yarrow. Intercropping heavy feeders with yarrow often results in one or both plants declining.
3. Spreading Perennials
Strong perennials like goldenrod, mint, and lemon balm spread quickly and will beat out yarrow. Their invasive roots rob water, nutrients, and space. Give them separate garden areas instead.
4. Low-Light Plants
Shade-lovers like hostas, coral bells, and begonias won’t thrive alongside sun-worshipping yarrow. Insufficient light causes weak growth. Grow them elsewhere or add artificial lighting.
5. Dense Groundcovers
Thick groundcovers such as ajuga and sedum hinder air circulation around yarrow, encouraging fungal issues like powdery mildew. Opt for less dense companions
6. Drought-Tolerant Plants
Succulents, lavender, thyme and other drought-tolerant plants dislike yarrow’s moisture demands. They’re prone to rot in damp soil. Give them excellent drainage or separate planting areas.
7. Cucumbers
You can get powdery mildew on cucumbers easily. This is a fungal disease that yarrow can carry and spread. It’s best not to interplant cucumbers and yarrow.
Better Companion Plant Options
While certain plants are incompatible with yarrow, many make excellent companion plants, such as:
- Marigolds – Repel pests, encourage pollination
- Cosmos – Attract pollinators, provide vertical interest
- Oregano – Shared growing needs, pest protection
- Dahlias – Complementary blooms, pollinator appeal
- Coneflowers – Mutually beneficial flowering display
- Sages – Tolerate similar conditions, increase biodiversity
Focus on pairing yarrow with plants that have complementary attributes and compatible growing requirements for best results.
Tips for Successful Companion Planting
Here are some tips to ensure yarrow and its neighbors thrive together:
- Check mature sizes to prevent overcrowding and competition
- Amend soil with compost to provide nutrients for all plants
- Mulch to conserve moisture, prevent weeds, and improve soil
- Allow sufficient space for air circulation to minimize disease
- Water early in the day so foliage dries by nightfall
- Group plants with similar light, water, and soil preferences
- Monitor for issues and remove diseased plants immediately
If you choose your plants carefully, space them out correctly, and give them the care they need, yarrow is a great addition to garden beds and containers. If you don’t put this flowering plant with plants that don’t get along, you’ll get the most out of it.
The Takeaway
Certain plants like shrubs, heavy feeders, and moisture-lovers don’t complement yarrow’s growing requirements. But many flowering annuals, herbs, and vegetables make ideal companions. Knowing what not to plant with yarrow enables successful interplanting that boosts the health and productivity of all garden residents. With smart companion planting, your yarrow will enhance biodiversity, attract pollinators, and create a thriving landscape for years to come.
Annuals To Plant With Yarrow
Putting annuals and perennials together in the same bed keeps things uniform and also lets you add new colors and textures. Try planting yarrow in your veggie bed or kitchen garden to attract pollinators and predatory insects that will benefit your edible plants. Yarrow is particularly helpful when grown near cabbage, cauliflower, arugula and broccoli. The veggie plants have higher water needs than yarrow, so cluster those plants together to make watering easy. Yarrow can handle routine watering, but performs better in drier conditions.
Photo by Mark Wordy, unmodified, Flickr, copyright CC BY 2.0
Perennials To Plant With Yarrow
For medicinal purposes, yarrow is a perennial herb that grows in gardens. It goes well with other fragrant herbs like oregano, sage, bee balm, and rosemary. In full sun, bee balm or monarda does best. It is native to North America, so it doesn’t need much care. The bold pink, purple, or red flowers have tubular petals contrasting nicely against the dainty yarrow blooms.
Coneflower, flax (linum), sedum, red hot poker, agapanthus, and daylily are other flowering perennials that provide dependable summer-time color without much care.These plants require full sun and minimal summer water once established. Stagger the plantings with yarrow so all the plants and their blooms are visible.
This Plant Does Everything (And Grows Itself!) | Yarrow Grow Guide
FAQ
What to plant around yarrow?
Explore Plant Combination Ideas for Your Garden. Pair Yarrow with Lavender, Echinacea, and Salvia for a Stunning and Pollinator-Friendly Garden Display.
Does yarrow choke out other plants?
If left unchecked, they can become invasive and choke out other small plants. These hardy plants can be mowed or sheered to contain them. Even though yarrow can be planted for their beauty, they do best in large areas where they can spread.
What is wrong with growing yarrow?
The most common diseases in Yarrow are fungal rust, powdery mildew, crown gall, and bacterial basal root rot. Aug 12, 2023.
What does yarrow repel?
