Yarrow (Achillea 'Coronation Gold')

Overview

Achillea ‘Coronation Gold’ is a highly valued herbaceous perennial, renowned for its long blooming season and exceptionally tough nature. This hybrid Yarrow emerges with deeply-dissected, aromatic, silvery-green foliage that forms a sturdy mound, providing excellent texture contrast in the garden bed. Unlike some cultivars, ‘Coronation Gold’ offers bright mustard-yellow flowers held on erect stems, reliably cheering up the mid-summer landscape.

This specific cultivar of Yarrow thrives in challenging conditions, making it an indispensable choice for low-maintenance landscapes. It tolerates poor soils and drought once established, provided the drainage is excellent. Gardeners prize Achillea ‘Coronation Gold’ for its reliable performance, resistance to deer browsing, and its attractiveness as a dried or cut flower specimen.

The structure of Achillea ‘Coronation Gold’—clump-forming with stiff stems—helps it withstand wind better than looser forms, though rich soil or too much shade can encourage flopping. For the best display of its characteristic bright terminal flowers, site this durable Yarrow accordingly.

Fast Facts

• Plant Family: Asteraceae
• Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
• Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 3-8
• Size at Maturity:
  • Height: 2.5-3 ft
  • Spread: 1.5-2 ft
• Bloom Time: June to September
• Bloom Description: Yellow
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Water Needs: Dry to medium
• Maintenance Level: Medium

How to Grow

The key to successfully growing Achillea ‘Coronation Gold’ lies in providing sharp drainage and abundant sunlight. Plant this perennial in full sun, ensuring at least six hours of direct, unfiltered light daily; insufficient light dramatically increases the risk of stem flopping and mildew. Ideally, Achillea ‘Coronation Gold’ prefers lean, dry to medium moisture soils, such as sandy loams. Avoid heavy clay soils and areas where water collects, as wet or rich, fertile sites are detrimental, often leading to stem rot.

Maintenance for this Yarrow is generally straightforward. Water only sparingly once the root system is established, as it actively dislikes consistently moist conditions and exhibits excellent drought tolerance. Fertilizing is rarely necessary; in fact, overly rich soil promotes excessive vegetative growth at the expense of bloom quality and stem rigidity.

Pruning involves deadheading spent flower heads down to lateral buds to encourage a second flush of bloom throughout the summer. After the primary flowering period ends, cut the entire plant back to the basal leaves to maintain a tidy appearance and stimulate fresh foliage growth for the fall. Renewal division every three to four years helps keep the clumps vigorous. Protect established plantings from very strong winds if possible, as high winds combined with heavy rain can flatten exposed stems.

Landscape Uses

Achillea ‘Coronation Gold’ is exceptionally versatile, performing equally well as a solitary feature or when used in mass plantings. It is perfectly suited for the middle to back of perennial borders where its steady yellow color can anchor a design scheme, especially effective in cottage gardens, wild gardens, or naturalized meadow settings where a less manicured look is desired. Its upright habit makes it ideal for specimen planting or grouping to create bold swaths of color.

Consider pairing this durable Yarrow with plants that share similar low-water and full-sun needs. Good companions include ornamental grasses, Sedum cultivars, Russian Sage (Perovskia), or Coneflowers (Echinacea). Because the foliage has a distinctive, somewhat spicy aroma, avoid placing it immediately adjacent to highly scented herbs or delicate plants where its presence might overwhelm others. The tough stems and long-lasting blooms of Achillea ‘Coronation Gold’ ensure it remains visually interesting long after many spring bloomers have faded.

Standout Features

Flower Qualities

• Showy
• Good Cut
• Good Dried

Noteworthy Characteristics

Achillea ‘Coronation Gold’ is an upright, clump-forming hybrid yarrow noted for its fern-like, aromatic, silvery to gray-green foliage. Its tiny, long-lasting, bright mustard-yellow flowers form dense, flattened, plate-like heads rising 2-3 feet tall throughout the summer. The genus name Achillea honors the Greek hero Achilles, who reputedly used the plant medicinally.

Tolerances

• Deer
• Drought
• Dry Soil

Potential Problems

The primary threats to Achillea ‘Coronation Gold’ relate to environmental conditions rather than pests. Powdery mildew, rust, and Botrytis can occur occasionally, usually in humid conditions or if air circulation is poor. To manage disease, always site the plant in full sun with good spacing. Stem rot is a significant issue if the soil drainage is inadequate or if the plant sits in wet conditions during winter. Taller plants may benefit from staking if grown in partial shade; strong summer storms can flatten exposed clumps of Yarrow. Avoid planting in overly rich soil, which encourages weak, floppy growth susceptible to damage.

Frequently Asked Questions

What hardiness zones is Yarrow suitable for?

Achillea ‘Coronation Gold’ is reliably hardy in USDA Zones 3 through 8.

How large does Achillea ‘Coronation Gold’ grow?

This perennial typically reaches a height between 2.5 and 3 feet, spreading outward to about 1.5 to 2 feet wide.

When does Yarrow bloom?

Achillea ‘Coronation Gold’ provides continuous bloom starting in June and continuing robustly through September, displaying cheerful yellow flowers.

What sun exposure does Achillea ‘Coronation Gold’ need?

This Yarrow must be grown in conditions of full sun to maintain its compact structure and prevent stem flopping.

Conclusion

Achillea ‘Coronation Gold’ offers unparalleled value to the sunny garden due to its superior drought tolerance and long season of showy, warm yellow blooms. Integrating this tough Yarrow into borders ensures enduring structure and texture, even through hot, dry summers. Before planting, confirm your site offers full sun and excellent drainage to guarantee the best performance from your Achillea ‘Coronation Gold’.

Companion Planting

When selecting neighbors for Achillea ‘Coronation Gold’, focus on partners that enjoy hot, dry conditions and thrive in similar alkaline or lean soil profiles. Plants like Lavender (Lavandula), Catmint (Nepeta), Veronica, and various ornamental grasses complement the Yarrow’s texture and cultural needs perfectly. These companions will ensure that no single plant receives too much water or fertilizer, maintaining the crucial dry soil conditions required for superior growth and flowering across the entire grouping.

Seasonal Care Calendar

Spring is the ideal time for initial clean-up; cut back old, dead foliage before new growth emerges. This is also the best time to divide overcrowded clumps of Achillea ‘Coronation Gold’ every three to four years to maintain vigor. During the main growing season (summer), focus on timely deadheading to promote continuous blooming; simply snap the spent flower stalk back to a point where you see new, healthy leaves forming. In the fall, after blooming ceases, you can perform a hard cutback to basal foliage to tidy the plant prior to winter dormancy.