Yarrow

Achillea millefolium

NL: Duizendblad - F: Achilée Millefeuille

This versatile and powerful medicinal plant appears in most soils and it withstands all kinds of situations in many parts of the world. Yarrow improves the health of the plants growing around it, helping to increase their content of essential oils, making them more resistant to insect attacks. The whole plant repels beetles, ants and flies, but attracts bees. It also improves the soil fertility, making it an excellent plant for growing in lawns, meadows, orchards etc. It is also great addition to compost piles, speeding up bacterial activity.

Yarrow has a high reputation and is widely employed in herbal medicine, administered both internally and externally in the treatment of a very wide range of disorders. It is used for healing wounds, stop bleeding, treating colds, fevers, menstrual pain, tooth ache.

The herb is antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, cholagogue, diaphoretic, digestive, stimulant, bitter tonic, vasodilator and vulnerary.

Leaves are abundant before the plant is in flower

"In order to effectively treat disease we have to be able to decongest blood associated with inflammation, thin stagnant, congealed blood, tone the veins, stimulant the capillaries and arteries, and move the blood to or from the surface. Yarrow, the great ‘normalizer’ of the blood does all these things." (Matthew Wood, one of the more knowledgeable herbalists of our time)




The young leaves are also a nutritious addition to the diet and can be eaten raw or cooked in moderate amounts. It may increase photosensitivity in some people when used extensively in high amounts.

Not advised during pregnancy, as it can stimulate uterine activity.

here you see clearly why it is called "1000 leaves" in some languages

It fights its way in grass fields, as a true survivor

Here is a video from Learningherbs.com on identifying yarrow:

Yarrow herb: Achillea millefolium

Rosemary Gladstar shares with us her experiences on using yarrow medicinally:

Rosemary Gladstar Garden Wisdom's: Yarrow



And here you can get detailed information on yarrow:

Common Yarrow - Survival Plants Memory Course