Yarrow, Firefly Sunshine Achillea 'Firefly Sunshine' Height: 30 inches Spacing: 24 inches
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 2b Group/Class: Firefly Collection Brand: Proven Winners Description: Luminous yellow flowers that remain attractive as they age, light up the garden all summer long; a vigorous selection with an upright habit and strong stems; excellent for xeriscaping and hot, sunny, dry locations in the garden Ornamental Features Yarrow, Firefly Sunshine features showy yellow flat-top flowers at the ends of the stems from early to late summer. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its attractive tomentose ferny leaves remain dark green in color with hints of grayish green throughout the season. Landscape Attributes Yarrow, Firefly Sunshine is an herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage. This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration; Yarrow, Firefly Sunshine is recommended for the following landscape applications; Planting & Growing Yarrow, Firefly Sunshine will grow to be about 28 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 28 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 24 inches apart. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen! This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers to grow in average to dry locations, and dislikes excessive moisture. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in poor soils. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation. Yarrow, Firefly Sunshine is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
