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Sneezewort

Sneezewort

Achillea ptarmica

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How common: Very common

Alien species

Sneezewort is a perennial with bright white, daisy‑like flower heads. It is most often seen in sunny, open places such as meadows, field edges and shores. Native across much of Europe and into Asia, it has also been introduced to parts of North America.

Did you know?

  • Gardeners grow a double‑flowered form with heads fully filled with white petals.
  • It can hybridise with willow‑leaved yarrow (Achillea salicifolia) where they grow together.

About the species

Identification

30–60 cm tall, upright, often branching low down. Leaves are narrow and simple, 3–8 cm long, with fine teeth on the edges, green to grey‑green and smooth or only slightly hairy. Flower heads are in a loose cluster; each is about 1–1.7 cm across with a ring of white “petals” (usually 10–14) around a creamy centre. The heads look like small daisies and are relatively large for a yarrow. Easy to tell from common yarrow: its leaves are feathery, while sneezewort’s are simple and narrow. Flowers in Finland from July to September.

Plant group

Herbaceous plants

Habitat

meadow, yards and roadsides

Flowering

Jul–Sep

About the habitat

Sunny, fairly nutrient‑rich ground: meadows, roadsides, field margins, shores and waste places, including ditch sides. Common almost throughout the country, rare in northern Lapland.

Sources

Photo: Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Achillea ptarmica Krwawnik kichawiec 2019-07-20 02.jpg

Text: Pinkka: Laaja maatalouslajintuntemus 4 op - Koppisiemeniset, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.39809

Text: Pinkka: Verso- ja leviäintunnistus - Kaikki leviäimet, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.39809

Text: Pinkka: Ålandsexkursion, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.39809

Text: Pinkka: Verso- ja leviäintunnistus - Kaikki versot, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.39809

Text: Pinkka: A Pohjolan kasveja - Abies-Allium, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.39809

Text: Pinkka (Luomus), CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.39809

Text: Wikipedia (Finnish), CC BY-SA 4.0 https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ojak%C3%A4rs%C3%A4m%C3%B6

See also