New Vintage Red Yarrow
Achillea millefolium 'New Vintage Red'
A compact, well-behaved yarrow with flat heads of rich crimson-red flowers that hold their colour, blooming late spring through summer above aromatic ferny foliage — short enough that it never flops.
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Achillea millefolium New Vintage™ Red is a compact selection of common yarrow grown for eye-catching crimson-red flower heads on a short, dense, well-mannered plant. Like all yarrows it forms a low mat of soft, aromatic, fern-like foliage, but the flowering stems stay markedly shorter than the species — a deliberate breeding goal that keeps the flat flower clusters from flopping.
Long-blooming jewel tones
The flowers open a deep, saturated red and hold their colour better than many older red yarrows, which tend to fade toward pink. Bloom begins in late spring and continues through summer, and shearing spent heads usually brings a fresh round into autumn. The compact habit makes it useful at the front of a border, tucked among taller perennials, or in containers.
Care tips
This is a tough, drought-tolerant, sun-loving perennial. Plant it in lean, well-drained soil and resist the urge to feed or overwater — rich, wet ground makes yarrow leggy. Deadhead or shear after the main flush to rebloom and to limit self-seeding, cut the plant down in late winter, and divide every couple of years. Bees and butterflies love the flat landing-pad flowers, deer and rabbits leave it alone, and the blooms are excellent fresh or dried for the vase.
Fun Fact
Sold under the patent name 'Balvinred', New Vintage Red was bred for an unusually compact, sturdy habit — about half the height of common yarrow — so its flat crimson flower heads stay upright instead of flopping the way taller yarrows do.
Habitat & form
Where it's from and what to expect.
- Native range
- Species native to Europe, Asia and North America; this is a garden cultivar
- Plant type
- Perennial
- Mature size
- Compact: a tidy mound with flower stems about 12–16 in. tall and 12–14 in. wide — roughly half the height of common yarrow.
- Bloom
- Flat-topped clusters of crimson-red flowers that hold their colour well, from late spring through summer, often reblooming into fall if deadheaded.
- Hardiness
- USDA zones 4–9.
Care
How to keep it happy.
- Sunlight
- Full sun.
- Water
- Low. Drought tolerant once established; avoid wet, rich soil.
- Soil
- Lean, average, well-drained soil. Tolerates poor, dry and salty ground.
- Pruning
- Deadhead or shear after flowering to encourage rebloom and stop self-seeding; cut back in late winter. Divide every 2–3 years.