Firefly Red Pop has bright cherry red flower heads, each tiny floret marked with a small yellow eye, set against silvery green, finely cut leaves. The contrast between the red blooms and the pale foliage makes it easy to spot from across the garden.
It grows into a sturdy clump about two feet tall and wide that stays upright through the summer. It is a solid pick for borders, containers, prairie plantings and cutting, and it was selected as a Director's Select in university trials. Bees and butterflies visit often, while deer and rabbits usually pass it by.
What it looks like
Flat flower clusters 3 to 4 inches wide made of many small, rounded florets in bright cherry red, each with a tiny yellow center that gives the cluster a speckled look. Clusters are held on firm, upright stems above the leaves. Foliage is silvery green, finely divided and feathery, soft in texture. The plant forms a compact, upright clump 24 to 28 inches tall and equally wide. At peak bloom the red plates stand out sharply against the pale silvery foliage.
Growing it with lavender
Firefly Red Pop enjoys the same full sun and lean, well-drained soil as lavender, and its cherry red flower heads and silvery leaves make a bold contrast with lavender spikes in early to midsummer.
Care
Plant in full sun and lean to average, well-drained soil; water regularly the first season, then only during long dry spells. Hardy in USDA zones 3-8. Shear the stems back by about half once the first flush fades to encourage a second round of flowers and keep the clump tidy.
At a glance
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Botanical name: Achillea
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Flower color: Cherry red with small yellow eyes
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Foliage: Silvery green
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Growth habit: Upright, compact clump
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Mature size: 24–28 in tall × 24–28 in wide
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USDA hardiness zones: 3–8
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Light: full sun
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Bloom start: Mid-June
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Peak bloom: Early-July
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Bloom pattern: Repeat Blooming
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Deer resistance: Resistant
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Pollinator value: Excellent
Sizes and shipping
Dormant bare-root plant, sold in boxes of 25 per variety (order in multiples of 25). Bare-root plants ship or are picked up March 1–May 31 only. They are soil-free, so they may ship to every state in that window. Dormant plants often show little or no top growth on arrival; plant or heel them in promptly.
Lavender companion · grow guide
Community Grower Report
