As a gardening and landscaping expert, I can provide you with a detailed description of what a yarrow seedling looks like. Yarrow, also known as Achillea millefolium, is a common herbaceous perennial plant that belongs to the Asteraceae family.
When yarrow seedlings first emerge from the soil, they usually have two small, oval-shaped cotyledon leaves. These initial leaves are often a pale green color and have a smooth texture. As the seedlings grow, they develop their true leaves, which are feathery and fern-like in appearance. These leaves are arranged in a rosette formation, meaning that they radiate out from a central point near the base of the plant.
One distinguishing feature of yarrow seedlings is their leaf hairs. The leaves of young yarrow plants are covered in fine, silky hairs that give them a soft and fuzzy texture. These hairs can be seen with the naked eye and are often more pronounced on the underside of the leaves. This characteristic sets yarrow seedlings apart from other plants, such as wild carrot (Daucus carota), which may have similar-looking seedlings at this stage.
Yarrow seedlings typically have a compact growth habit, forming dense rosettes of leaves close to the ground. The leaves are typically a medium green color, although variations in shade may occur depending on the specific cultivar or environmental conditions.
It is important to note that as yarrow seedlings mature, they undergo changes in their growth habit and leaf structure. The feathery leaves become more finely divided as the plant grows, giving yarrow its characteristic lacy appearance. The leaves also become less hairy as the plant ages, although some degree of fuzziness may still be present on the stems and leaves of mature plants.
In terms of size, yarrow seedlings can vary depending on factors such as growing conditions and cultivar. On average, the rosettes of yarrow seedlings can range from a few inches to around a foot in diameter. As the plants mature, they will eventually send up flowering stalks, which can reach heights of 1 to 3 feet or more, depending on the variety.
To sum up, a yarrow seedling can be identified by its oval-shaped cotyledon leaves followed by feathery, fern-like true leaves arranged in a rosette formation. The leaves are covered in fine, silky hairs, giving the plant a soft and fuzzy texture. As the yarrow plant matures, the leaves become more finely divided and less hairy. Understanding these characteristics can help gardeners and landscapers identify yarrow seedlings and differentiate them from other similar-looking plants.
