Culture
Best grown in lean, dry to medium, well-drained sandy loams in full sun. Does well in average garden soils and tolerates poor soils as long as drainage is good. Avoid heavy clays and moist, rich, fertile soils. Plants tolerate hot and humid summers with some drought. Plants are best sited in locations protected from strong winds. Deadhead spent flower heads to lateral buds to promote additional bloom. Cut plants back to basal leaves after flowering to tidy the planting and to encourage possible additional fall bloom. Divide clumps when they become overcrowded (every 3-4 years). Propagate by seed, cuttings or division.
‘Gold Coin Dwarf’ has short stems that are less apt to flop in the hot and humid summers of the St. Louis area.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Achillea filipendulina, commonly known as fern-leaf yarrow, is an upright, clump-forming yarrow that is native to the Caucasus, Iran and Afghanistan. Deeply-dissected, 1-2 pinnatifid, hairy, fern-like, aromatic (spicy) green leaves (each leaf to 10" long and divided into as many as 15 pairs of linear-lanceolate toothed segments) form an attractive basal clump of foliage. Tiny, long-lasting, bright golden flowers (yellow rays and yellow discs) appear in dense flattened plate-like compound corymbs (to 4" across) throughout summer on stiff, erect stems rising above the foliage to 3-4' tall.
The genus name Achillea refers to Achilles, hero of the Trojan Wars in Greek mythology, who used the plant medicinally to stop bleeding and to heal the wounds of his soldiers.
‘Gold Coin Dwarf’ is an upright, clump-forming yarrow that is noted for its bright gold flowers, ferny aromatic foliage and dwarf size. Many nurseries are advertising this cultivar as a dwarf version of A. filipendula ‘Parker’s Variety’. Flowers appear in dense, flattened clusters (compound corymbs to 4” wide) over a long summer bloom on dwarf stems rising to only 15” tall. Deeply-dissected, fern-like, green leaves are aromatic.
Problems
Stem rot, powdery mildew and rust are occasional disease problems. Strong summer rain storms with high winds can flatten exposed plantings. Staking of flower stems is often required, particularly if plants are grown in overly rich fertile soils.
Uses
Specimen, group or mass. Borders. Cottage gardens. Containers.