perennial

Sneezewort

Achillea ptarmica

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Sneezewort (Achillea ptarmica) at Lurvey Garden Center

Sneezewort flowers

Sneezewort flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Height:  18 inches

Spread:  24 inches

Sunlight:  full sun 

Hardiness Zone:  3

Description:

An easy to grow and drought tolerant perennial; featuring a low mounded habit that is perfect for containers, borders, edging and fresh cut arrangements; lovely ivory-white flowers and green ferny foliage are produced from summer to fall

Ornamental Features

Sneezewort is smothered in stunning white flat-top flowers with tan eyes 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 throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Sneezewort is an herbaceous perennial with a mounded form. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This is a high maintenance plant that will require regular care 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;

  • Spreading
  • Self-Seeding

Sneezewort is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Mass Planting
  • Border Edging
  • General Garden Use
  • Groundcover
  • Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
  • Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Sneezewort will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. 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 species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division.

Sneezewort is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers and foliage against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Massing  Edging  Garden  Groundcover  Naturalizing  Container 
Applications
Flowers  Foliage Color  Texture  Attracts Wildlife 
Ornamental Features