Yarrow
Let’s talk about the medicinal benefits of yarrow. The yarrow we are looking at is wild yarrow, not the fancy colored yarrow you can find in a nursery. To my knowledge only the white yarrow has medicinal benefits. Depending where you live you may be able to easily forage for yarrow without growing it in your garden. However, I love to have it in my food forest where I have it right at my fingertips. It also makes a wonderful cut flower!
This information is provided for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. It is important that you do thorough research from multiple reliable sources before using herbs. While herbs are generally considered very safe there are exceptions. This is by no means a complete monograph of this particular herb. My intent is to peak your interest enough to begin a lifelong journey using herbs.
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Diving Deeper
Botanical Name
Achillea millefolium
Family
Asteraceae
Parts Used
Aerial parts including flower, leaf, soft part of the stem
Plant Properties
Analgesic, antibacterial, anticatarrhal, antiseptic, astringent, bitter, carminative, diaphoretic, digestive, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, febrifuge, hepatic, hypoglycemic, hypotensive, stimulant, styptic, tonic, vulnerary
Energetics
Mostly harmonizing
Warming and cooling with a tendency toward cooling
Moistening and drying with a tendency toward drying
Preparations Used
Tea, tincture, poultice, infused oil, bitter tonic, salve, hydrosol
Uses For Yarrow
Yarrow is possibly most well known for its ability to stop bleeding. When I was a teenager I loved to show off my mad herbal skills by chewing on a bit of fresh yarrow to make a spit poultice and apply it to whomever had a bleeding wound. It has been known to stop bleeding almost instantly. Makes a great natural first aid remedy when out in the woods for cuts, scrapes, and bruises.
Yarrow promotes and increases perspiration which helps the body eliminate toxins. This is useful in helping break up a cold or flu and especially to help “break” a fever. (Sweat it out. Just be sure and stay hydrated!)
Yarrow can also be a useful immune stimulant and mild expectorant which is useful in cases of excess mucus.
Gargling with yarrow tea can help soothe a sore throat and also inflamed gums.
Things to Note
It would be wise to stay away from yarrow if you are allergic to any member of the asteracea family. Also not to be used during pregnancy.
Put it Into Practice
Here are some wonderful useful ways to use yarrow.
Make a healing wound salve
Make a tea from yarrow and elderflowers to help expel mucus
WHERE TO PURCHASE
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If you are unable to grow your own herbs, or find ingredients locally, then here are two of my favorite places to buy bulk ingredients:
This company is where I purchase the majority of my seeds. Great selection of heirloom and/or organic seeds:
These are hands down my favorite seed starting trays and pots. These are heavy duty and don’t crumple when you pop your plants out! Definitely worth the investment in my opinion.
