Yarrow Leaf & Flower

Yarrow Leaf & Flower– Achillea millefolium

The name Yarrow is a corruption of the Anglo-Saxon name for the plant – gearwe; and also the Dutch, yerw. A flowering plant that is native to North America, Asia, and Europe as well as in the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. In bloom from June to September, the flowers, white or pale lilac. It has flattened, terminal, loose heads, or cymes like Minute Daisies. The whole plant is hairy, with white, silky appressed hairs and as a result it is cultivated by nurseries as an ornamental.

Yarrow earned the nicknames Soldier’s Wound Wort and Knight’s Milfoil. The Highlanders still make an ointment from it. It is the same plant with which Achilles stanched the bleeding wounds of his soldiers, hence the name of the genus, Achillea. Achilles, Chiron’s disciple, is said to have discovered it.

An infusion can be made with 1 OZ. of dried herb to 1 pint of boiling water. It may be sweetened with sugar, honey or the like, and adding a little Cayenne Pepper is also common.

Country of origin: Hungary

Safety: a member of the ragweed family