Yarrow

Family Name: Asteraceae/Compositae (Aster/Sunflower Family)

Latin Name: Achillea millefolium

(Also Known As): A. borealis, A. lanulosa

Common Names: Yarrow, common yarrow, Millefoil, Plumajillo, sneezeweed, nosebleed

Related Species: A. eradiata Piper, A. subalpina, A. sibirica, Ligustichum grayi, Daucus carota, A. decolorans

Body System Affiliations:

1. First Aid

2. Integumentary System

3. Cardio-vascular System

Botanical Description:

Habit: Herb – Perennial (aromatic)

Size: Grows up to 100 cm (3 ft or 39 in) tall

Arrangement: Erect, leaves alternate on flowering stem, otherwise basal

Leaves: Slender, grey-green, fern-like, roughly 4 cm (or about 2-5 in) long and about an inch wide, pinnately dissected, each segment is also dissected into fringes to create a soft, lacy, feathery appearance

Flowers: Multi-branched inflorescence forming a flat to slightly rounded top umbels that are 5-10 cm (2-4 in) across, each flower head has 3-5 white to pinkish ray flowers which are 2-4 mm (1/8 in), as long as or longer than they are wide, and 10-30 cream colored disc flowers, all perfect and all fertile, bracts below inflorescence are about 4-6 mm (4:478), blooms from March to October depending on location and elevation

Fruit: Achenes, hairless and flattened

Underground Parts: Rhizomatous root system

Personal Observation and Description: The leaves of the yarrow are so highly divided as to appear quite delicate and elegant. They are reminiscent of the leaves of many carrot and parsley species. The plant grows surprisingly tall before blooming a noticeable inflorescences along roadsides, trails and gardens. At a glance, it may be difficult to distinguish from Gray’s lovage (Ligustichum grayi) and queen anne’s lace (Daucus carota). It appears to be weedy in some places.

Ecology:

Habitat: Temperate climates in dry to moist, well-drained, poor soil, open sites, meadows, rocky slopes, gravel bars, roadsides, paths, clearings, sometimes in open forest, low to high elevations; grows well in disturbed areas; seldom on slopes (1:279; 6:53; 7:164); zones 3 to 8 (8:153; 9:153); prairie/grassland, mountain/meadow (9:33)

Range: Every state in the United States (2), in some places it is more common at higher elevations (3:272; 5:198); throughout the world (7:164)

Native Where: North America (2) Eurasia

Ecological Relationships: Blooms of this species provide valuable nectar to beneficial insects such as tiny parasitic wasps that feed on aphids (8:53, 153)

Western (European-American) Uses/Relationships:

Food: Not recommended.

Materials/Technology:

Dried flower stalks can be used in floral decorations (7:164)

Seeds are used along with that of strawberry clover and English daisies to combine with a perennial ryegrass for a meadowy lawn that also resists erosion (11:123)

Medicine:

Part Used: Whole plant

Medicinal Actions: Hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial

Indications: Tincture or tea for acute fever like at the beginning of a cold or flu; poultice for muscle pain, joint inflammation, varicose veins or to stop bleeding from minor cuts and scrapes; bath for rheumatoid arthritis and joint pain, chewed root for toothache and gum problems (3:274)

Body System Associations: First aid, integumentary system, cardio-vascular system

Constituents: Sabinene, isoartemisin ketone, camphor and bornyl acetate (3:272)

Applications: Tincture, infusion, dried roots, poultice, decoction, face mask

Preparation:

Tincture fresh plant using one part plant material with two parts alcohol cut 50% with water; tincture dried plant using one part plant material with five parts of the 50% alcohol (3:274)

Tea recipe: mix 1/2 teaspoon of each herb (yarrow, elder, chamomile, lemon balm) and 1/4 tsp of ginger with 1/4 tsp of licorice to a cup of water. Add honey to taste. (9:174)

Break up dried roots into one or two inch pieces for chewing (3:274)

Bathwater: steep one ounce of herb in two quarts of water and add to bath (3:274)

To condition oily hair, make a strong decoction and add 2 tablespoons to a normal application of mild baby shampoo (8:87)

Face mask for oily skin: mix a cup of fresh yarrow (or three tablespoons of yarrow that soaked overnight in a little distilled water) to two tablespoons of distilled water and two tablespoons of organic oatmeal in a blender/processor (8:86)

Pharmacy:

Tincture: take 10 to 40 drops in warm water up to five times a day (3:274) or apply topically to relieve itchy skin (9:124)

Tea: take two to four fluid ounces up to four times a day (3:274)

Chew dried root pieces (3:274)

Face Mask: apply to skin and let sit 15 minutes then rinse with warm water followed by a cold water splash and pat skin dry, use before bedtime (8:86)

Cautions: Not recommended for extended use during pregnancy because of accumulative effect on blood supply (3:275); may cause allergic reaction when taken internally (8:153)

Indigenous and Non-Western Use/Significance/Relationships:

Food: None

Materials/Technology: None

Medicine: Haida use as poultice; Tsimshian use as sore throat gargle; Nuxalk use as bronchitis medication; Nuu-chah-nulth, Klallam and Sechelt use as cold and cough medicine (1:279)

Other: Yarrow is generally used as a tea or poultice for skin rashes and sores (6:53; 8:153)

Propagation:

Technique: Root division with basal leaves (6:164; 8:45)

Timing: Spring or fall

Personal Experience: Transplants easily, takes to sunny or partly sunny areas well, does not require much water

Technique: Seed with one month of cold stratification (9:71; 10:153)

Timing: Germination takes 1 or 2 weeks. Either sew in garden a week before final frost in spring or indoors eight weeks before final frost then transplant seedlings to garden after final frost and divide plants in early spring to be about several inches apart and provide low to moderate amounts of water (8:153; 10:153)

Other Tips:

Add less than an inch of compost in spring to maximize flower production (8:153)

Never use fertilizer on newly divided plants until they show new leaves but if plants grow well and look strong, do not use fertilizer at all (11:158)

Harvest:

Plant Part: Flower stalks

Season of Harvest: Summer and fall

Method of Harvest: Harvest (in full bloom just after flowers show color) in the morning after dew dries, cut below lowest leaves, bundle facing the same direction, bind 1 or 2 inches from cut ends with rubber band, hang upside down to dry from a hook or nail in well ventilated, shady area until all are brittle-dry which takes about two weeks (3:272, 22-23; 8:153; 9:174; 11:166)

Storage: Remove and store flowers and leaves with upper stem in labeled canning jar, keep in a cool, dark area; good for a couple of years (3:272-274, 23)

Plant Part: Roots

Season of Harvest: Summer

Method of Harvest: Wash and dry in bundles or in flats alternately stacked in the car with the windows down as you drive around (3:272-273)

Storage: Store in fairly large pieces in jars to prevent loss of aromatics, good for several years

Ecological Considerations of Harvest: Because the flowers of this species are ideal food for beneficial insects, consider leaving some plants after flowering all summer long (8:53; 11:159)

Caution: Never dry herbs in sunlight for this can cause loss of color and substance; never harvest from roadsides for plant can build up toxins (3:272-274)

Other Notes of Interest:

Latin name commemorates Achilles (5:198); the greek warrior supposedly used the plant to heal his soldiers’ wounds (6:53)

Yarrow has been known as ‘chipmunk tail’ because the leaves are reminiscent of them (10:153)

Giving a bouquet of yarrow to someone carries with it the wishes of good health (8:93)

Easy to grow meadowy gardens that delight the eyes can be created with contrasting colors like the white blooms of yarrow next to violets and yellow black-eyed Susan (9:29)

Cautions: Do not use large amounts or for extended period of time during pregnancy (3:275); may cause allergic reaction when taken internally (8:153)

***

References Cited:

1. Mackinnon, Andy, and Jim Pojar. Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Vancouver, British Columbia: Ministry of Forests and Lone Pine Publishing, 1994.

2. USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service Plant Database. Online at http://plants.usda.gov.

3. Moore, Michael. Medicinal Plants of the Pacific West. Sante Fe, New Mexico: Red Crane Books, 1995.

4. Hitchcock, C. Leo and Arthur Cronquist. Flora of the Pacific Northwest. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press, 1973.

5. Lyons, C.P. and Bill Merilees. Trees, Shrubs & Flowers to Know in Washington & British Columbia. Redmond, Washington: Lone Pine Publishing, 1995.

6. Stewart, Charles. Wildflowers of the Olympics and Cascades. Sequim, WA: Nature Education Enterprises, 1998.

7. Moore, Michael. Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West. Santa Fe, NM: The Museum of New Mexico Press, 1979.

8. Smith, Miranda. Your Backyard Herb Garden: A Gardener’s Guide to Growing Over 50 Herbs Plus How to Use Them in Cooking, Crafts, Companion Planting, and More. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, Inc., 1997.

9. Tierra, Lesley. A Kid’s Herb Book for Children of all Ages. Bandon, OR: Robert D. Reed Publishers, 2009.

10. Hartung, Tammi. Growing 101 Herbs That Heal: Gardening Techniques, Recipes, and Remedies. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 2000.

11. Robson, Mary. Gardening in Washington & Oregon. Franklin, TN: Cool Springs Press, 2005.