Yarrow

Yarrow contains many species within the Achillea genus. We see lots of cultivated yarrow in gardens in a range of colors, like gold and deep pink. But when I am referring to yarrow, I am referring to our native variety, traditionally used in medicine making- achillea milefollium. This variety has been used for centuries in traditional medicine and also has a lot of folk lore associated with them. Even the name stems directly from stories around Achilles using the flowers and leaves to heal the wounds of soldiers during battle. Yarrow is a powerful vulnerary meanings they can heal wounds. They also act as a sepatic, helping blood to coagulate and stop the flow of a bleeding wound.

If you find yourself on a hike and get a cut, yarrow can be a really helpful plant to know. After properly identifying your achillea milefollium friend you can chew up the leaves and/or flowers to make a poultice with your saliva. Put that chewed plant material directly on a wound to almost instantly fight potential bacteria, and stop or slow the bleeding.

I have personally used achillea milefollium on burns and have found them great for relieving associated pain. I also found that putting a yarrow poultice onto a burn speeds up healing and reduces the possibility of scaring.

And beyond the physical characteristics, yarrow is a plant I feel very protected by. Their presence is both delicate and strong. Their medicine feels simple and timeless. They remind me of the traditions and feel like a subtle call to remember your roots. More than anything I love to be around yarrow! I feel their medicine most strongly just tending to them.

Is yarrow a beloved plant friend of yours? Do you have a story of a moment you’ve shared with them? Send me a message! I would love to hear your experience and insights from communion with yarrow.

Now for the herbal monograph…

Achillea milefollium

Family:Asteraceae

Native habitat: North America, Europe, Asia

Parts Used:leaves, flowers

Notes: 

• A hardy, drought resistant perennial

• Can tolerate extreme cold and high heat

• Prefers to grow in full sun

• Thrives in poor to average, well draining soil

• It even loves dry, sandy and rocky soils

• Likes to grow in meadows and on borders

• Great if used as a poultice for burns and cuts

• It is said that Achilles used this plant to heal the bleeding wounds of soldiers during battle

• Commonly confused for poison hemlock, although they look very different once closely examined

• Achillea milefollium is the yarrow we want to use in medicine and varies from the bright yellow uniform yarrow you often see in gardens

• Not the same as cultivated yarrows like “coronation gold”

Tastes:

Sweet, bitter

Identification:

• Leaves:

  • Light green very feathery leaves

  • Appears to have a thousand leaves- which is where the name milefollium comes from

  • Very different from the leaves of those in the carrot although often misidentified for plants in the carrot family

  • Leaves are often described as fern like- but I think feather like helps us to better identify this plant

  • Leaves alternate along the stem growing smaller as you move up the stem

• Stems:

  • Stem is woody at the base, smooth, typically reddish

  • Two distinct lines running opposite down the stem

• Flowers:

  • Tiny individual flowers cluster together to form flat topped cluster (compound corymbs)

  • Ranging from white to pale pink

• Roots:

  • shallow, creeping rhizomes that form dense mat like colonies

• Stems:

  • tough, green-woody

  • covered in small fuzzy white hairs

Herbal Energetics: 

Warming & cooling, drying/astringent

Herbal Actions:  

Vulnerary, antiviral, antiseptic, diaphoretic, bitter tonic, cardiovascular tonic, styptic, antispasmodic, nervine

Tissue State Indications:

• damp/stagnation

• heat/excitation

• lax/atony

Contraindications:

• Can stimulate uterine contractions 

• Can interact with blood thinners, and blood pressure medication

Subtle Body Wisdom:

• You can be both delicate and strong.

• You are divinely protected.

• Believe in your inner strength.

• Be uniquely you.

• Lean on your community for support.

Please remember to always use at least 3 identification sources when wildcrafting. Also be mindful of where you are harvesting. For example, making sure the plants are not near roadways or somewhere they can become polluted by exhaust or pesticides.

Disclaimer: These articles are for educational purposes only, they are not a substitution for professional medical advice, and as the reader you are responsible for your own health decisions.