A Gardener’s Guide to Herbal Medicine: Yarrow

Are you thinking of plants to include in your herbal garden or apothecary, but unsure where to start?  Try starting with yarrow!  

Yarrow, or Achillea millefolium, is a plant native to California and North America that has been used for a millenia to treat wounds and fight off infections like cold and flu.   A hardy herb that does not require a lot of fuss and attention once the plant takes root, yarrow lends it’s resilience to our own immune systems when enjoyed as tea or used in topical applications.  

When used as a tea, yarrow acts as anti-inflammatory and diaphoretic, meaning that it helps us vent the body and break a sweat to fight off infection.  In addition to being antibacterial, anti inflammatory and diaphoretic, yarrow is also a hemostatic, meaning that it helps our bodies in assisting with blood clotting.  When used as a topical, yarrow was referred to as soldier’s woundwort during the Civil War due to its uses for fighting wound infections on the battlefield.  

In the products that we carry at the Garden, yarrow is used to help reduce stressed, barrier-compromised enflamed skin,  as well as fight off colds and flu and boost immunity. We love it in the Clarity Oil by Botnia and Bye, Wind tea by Herb Folk. This is a great herb to have in your home apothecary in preparation for cold and flu season! 

Yarrow is a wonderful plant to start in your home garden as it loves a lot of sunlight, does not require a lot of attention and thrives in our Northern California climate.  Yarrow is a plant that we discourage foraging, as it can be easily confused with hemlock, a poisonous plant.  Yarrow should not be used on deep puncture wounds.  People that are taking other medications should consult with their doctor and herbalist before consuming yarrow. 

Tag us in your home gardens and happy planting!