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Achillea millefolium 'Paprika' (Paprika Yarrow) - This striking perennial yarrow forms a spreading mat of fern-like, mid-green leaves to 3 feet wide. The large flat heads, rising 18 inches above the foliage have yellow centered scarlet red flowers that age attractively from red through salmon pink, creamy yellow to brown beginning in late spring and continuing through summer.
Plant in full sun to light shade and irrigate regularly. Can withstand summer drought but looks much better when irrigated and when grown in full sun. Hardy to at least 0 degrees F. It is a good nectar source for butterflies but left alone by deer.
Few plant species have a range as wide as this species as it can be found growing naturally in Europe, Asia and North America and since noted differences are observed, both morphologically and genetic, it is called a species complex. One thought is it originated in Asia and spread from there in millennia past taking advantage of its ability to grow well in disturbed sites until its range was circumboreal, meaning throughout the northern hemisphere. Though there are selections made of plants naturally growing in California, this selection was a selection made in Europe, so we do not list it as a native California plant. The name Achillea was named for the Greek mythological character Achilles, who in Homer's Iliad was a student of the centaur Chiron, known for his great knowledge of medicine. Achilles' soldiers in the battle against Troy used yarrow to treat wounds garnering the plant herbal fame and giving it common names such as allheal and bloodwort. Legend had it that the plant sprung from Achilles spear. The specific epithet millefolium means "thousand-leaf" in reference to its fern-like foliage.
Achillea millefolium 'Paprika' is sometimes listed as one of the Galaxy Hybrids that is considered to be a Achillea millefolium cross with Achillea 'Taygetea' (AKA Achillea aegyptiaca var. taygetea), it is however listed by such sources as "The Royal Horticultural Society Index of Garden Plants" and "The American Horticultural Society A to Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants" as a cultivar of A. millefolium.
This information about Achillea millefolium 'Paprika' displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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