Sassy Summer Lemon carries some of the largest flower heads you will find on a yarrow, in a clean, sunny lemon yellow. It is also the earliest of its group to bloom, starting color in early summer and continuing into late summer.
The plant is tall and substantial, around 30 inches, with sturdy stems that stay upright. It spreads wide enough to fill space quickly in a sunny border or meadow planting, and the blooms cut and dry well. Pollinators love it, and deer and rabbits typically avoid it.
What it looks like
Very large, flat flower heads 4 to 6 inches across made of tiny florets in bright lemon yellow with slightly golden centers. The heads sit atop strong, upright stems, forming a broad yellow canopy. Leaves are green, finely divided and feathery, forming a full base. The plant is tall and broad, 28 to 32 inches tall and 36 to 42 inches wide. At peak bloom the plant is crowned with big, bold yellow plates.
Growing it with lavender
Sassy Summer Lemon grows in the same full sun and lean, well-drained soil as lavender, and its early lemon yellow blooms overlap with lavender's first flush for a bright purple-and-yellow combination.
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: Bright lemon yellow
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Foliage: Green
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Growth habit: Tall, broad, upright clump
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Mature size: 28–32 in tall × 36–42 in wide
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USDA hardiness zones: 3–8
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Light: full sun
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Bloom start: Early-June
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Peak bloom: Late-June
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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
