Lawn Guardian

How to Get Rid of Common Yarrow

Achillea millefolium

broadleaf weedUSDA zones 3–9Active: spring, summer, fall

Tough perennial with feathery, fern-like foliage. Drought-tolerant and spreads by rhizomes. Some consider it an acceptable lawn component.

How to identify it

Finely divided, fern-like leaves with soft, feathery texture; flat-topped clusters of white flowers; aromatic when crushed.

Treatment options

Cultural (prevention): Accept or increase fertility

Yarrow is drought-tolerant and can be left as part of a low-maintenance lawn. Fertilizing favors turf.

When: Assess preference; fertilize if removal desired

Organic: Hand digging

Dig out clumps including rhizomes. Can be persistent.

When: Dig in spring when soil is moist

Chemical: Triclopyr herbicide

Effective systemic control for established yarrow patches.

When: Apply in fall when actively growing

Active ingredient: Triclopyr — e.g. Turflon Ester, T-Zone

Grass safety: always match herbicides to your grass species — products safe on Kentucky bluegrass can kill St. Augustine or centipede. Lawn Guardian checks this automatically against your lawn profile.

Stop common yarrow at the right moment, automatically

Lawn Guardian turns this guidance into a schedule timed to your USDA zone and this week's actual weather — and adapts every time you log what you've done.

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Related weeds

Sources: Purdue University Turfgrass Science: Use Growing Degree Days to Better Time Your Applications · University of Missouri Extension: Cool-Season Grasses: Lawn Maintenance Calendar · University of Minnesota Extension: Pre-emergent Herbicides for Crabgrass Control in Lawns