I finally managed to get out onto the top of the Downs last week to collect my harvest of yarrow. It was the prefect day for it, with bright sunshine to dry off the dew without being so hot that the volatile oils were too quick to evaporate. Now the tincture is steeping away and the flowers are dried for teas so it seems like the perfect time to share a few words about this most valuable of healing remedies.
Yarrow atop the South Downs.
Despite being one of the most important medicines in my healing repertoire, I have been avoiding posting about yarrow for quite sometime. This is for the simple reason that it is useful for many things it’s hard to know where to start, yarrow really requires an entire book to itself! For simplicity’s sake I will stick to the basics here but I will revisit this wonder herb with more specific information in the future.
Yarrow is a common weed native to the Northern hemisphere that grows freely in grassland, chalk land, roadsides and other sites with well draining ground. It is instantly recognisable due to its feathery leaves, strong stems and broad white flower heads made up of many small individual flowers.
Yarrow as a Wound Healer:
This is perhaps yarrow’s most famous and most ancient use. Yarrow was found amongst other medicinal herbs in the Neanderthal burial site in Iraq which dates from around 60,000 BC and has become famous in herbal medicine as one of the earliest indications of human’s use of medicinal plants. Myth tells us it was given to Achilles by the centaur Chiron so he could use it on the battlefield and its Latin name, Achillea millefollium, still reflects this tale. Its common names too included Soldier’s herb, herba militaris, Knight’s milfoil, carpenter’s grass and nosebleed. Yarrow is possibly the most useful wound herb we have as it staunches bleeding and is antimicrobial and pain relieving too.
Yarrow for Colds and Fevers:
It’s next greatest claim to fame is it’s ability to make us sweat. When fever is building, drinking hot teas of yarrow can help it to break by relaxing the circulation and the pores of the skin, allowing us to sweat freely and ridding the body of infection. Dr Christopher once wrote, “Yarrow, when administered hot and copiously, will raise the heat of the body, equalise the circulation and produce perspiration.” It may seem inadvisable to raise the body heat in cases of fever but by using yarrow we are supporting the body in responding to infection naturally. The classic formula for colds and flus is yarrow, peppermint and elderflower which should be drunk as a hot tea as soon as possible. The the patient should then wrap up warmly, keeping a hot water bottle at their feet and wait to sweat. When there is a high body temperature but no sweating, this formula is especially useful to help release the heat via the skin. Now is the time to get these herbs in stock before the cold and flu season strikes.
Yarrow for the Circulation:
Yarrow’s affinity for the blood and circulation can be seen internally as well as externally. It tones the blood vessels at the same time as dilating capillaries and moving the blood, thus giving it a wide range of applications. It has been used to treat high blood pressure, often in combination with Hawthorn and Lime blossom and it has a reputation for being able to prevent blood clots. It’s tonifying action makes it particularly useful for treating varicose veins and haemorrhoids. Yarrow really is a great equaliser, it moves where necessary and tones where needed. This dual action is what has given it is reputation for being able to both cure and cause nosebleeds!
Yarrow for the Digestion:
Being bitter, pungent and aromatic means that yarrow is particularly useful for stimulating the digestion and getting the bile and pancreatic juices flowing. Because of it’s affinity to the circulation as well it can help move congested blood in the portal vein which, in turn, helps the liver. Matthew Wood talks about using it for colitis and diverticulitis because of it’s ability to tone and heal the mucus membranes of the digestive tract. It was also an old traditional remedy for bloody diarrhoea and dysentery.
Yarrow for the Reproductive and Urinary Systems:
Maria Treben considers yarrow “first and foremost… a herb for women” and quotes Abbe Kneipp in saying “women could be spared many troubles if they just took yarrow tea from time to time.” It is such a wonderful herb for the reproductive systems because it can both staunch heavy bleeding and stimulate scanty bleeding. It is also wonderful when there is congestion resulting in dark clotted blood and period pains. It is useful for vaginal infections or irregular discharge as well as spotting between periods.
Yarrow is a good urinary anti-septic and, when drunk as a warm or cool (rather than hot) infusion, the diuretic properties are emphasised making it a useful remedy for cystitis and urinary tract infections. It has also been praised for helping cases of urinary incontinence. Culpepper informs us that it “helps such as cannot hold their water.”
If we think about some of the ways in which yarrow might work we can start to draw together all these different facets of it’s healing ability. When you taste yarrow it is pungent and aromatic with quite a bitter aftertaste. The volatile oils which make it so aromatic and warming are dispersive in nature and therefore are one of the things that gives yarrow this wonderful ability to move congestion and stagnation, equalise the circulation and open up the skin. Volatile oils are also often anti-microbial. The bitterness balances it’s warmth with more cooling qualities and also stimulates the digestion. Though the bitter gets our juices flowing and the aromatic qualities get things moving, you can also tell yarrow is an astringent which is what makes it so helpful for toning blood vessels. It may seem like a plant of contradictions but yarrow is just another example of how wonderfully complex our herbs can be. They demand that we know them, rather than just a list of their actions, and that we let go of linear thinking and delve into the realms of experiential understanding instead.
Preparations are usually made from the areal parts including leaf, flower and some stem, though I usually leave out the toughest bits. They can then be used in a variety of ways:
Tea – Take hot for colds and flus and warm or cool for cystitis. Or use as a wash for grazes or rashes.
Tincture – For chronic congestion in the reproductive system and high blood pressure (teas could also be used here).
Baths - For skin irritations.
Sitz baths – For cystitis, vaginal infections, bleeding fibroids, haemorrhoids, post-partum healing, heavy periods etc.
Footbaths – For chilblains.
Infused Oil – For first aid healing ointments or soothing creams for irritated skins.
Poultice or Compress – Spit poultices for wounds and first aid situations, compresses for larger areas of grazed skin.
Wound powder – Finely powdered dried herb can be sprinkled on minor wounds.
Spray – The tincture or herb infused in witch hazel can be sprayed on to varicose veins to tone and move stagnant blood.
Flower Essence – Said to be protective for those who are overly sensitive to their environments and the emotions of others.
Essential Oil – A wonderful anti-inflammatory for skin conditions.
Please note, yarrow is best avoided during pregnancy.
Yarrow was also considered a sacred herb by many cultures of the world and has lots of interesting folklore attached to it. I’ll save that for another post though!
I believe i should try the flower essence! lol! Wonderful monograph about yarrow, Lucinda:) I use yarrow for numerous things here also. I remember Brigitte telling me that for the longest time it was the only herb she used at it was so good for so very many things! Was just checking my cupboard and supply for winter today! I use it in external applications a lot with the kitties too, it seems. thank you for sharing xoxoxoxo
Hi Leslie,
Yes I remember Brigitte mentioning yarrow often, we must persuade her to do some guest posts sometime, she has so much wonderful knowledge.
I’m glad to hear the cats make use of it too, how are dear Peppermint and her kittens?
xxxx
Lucinda, what an amazing herb. So many uses.
Maybe they read your blog Ha!
It grows freely along the lanes here. I also grow it in the garden but it never reaches the flowering stage….rabbits love it and crop it to the ground, hence why the rabbits in my garden are so healthy
Tku once again for so much information…….
I love to think of the rabbits gathering around the computer! Their knowledge is instinctive though, if only we could get them to write their own blog, how much we would learn!
xxx
Could you let me know what part of the plant is used for the different conditions. Flowers or leaves, stem, roots etc.
Many thanks.
Gillian
Hi Gillian,
Sorry, not including this info was a bit of an oversight!
Normally areal parts are used, flower, leaf and some stem. I have read that some people have used the root but this is unusual and I have no experience of using it myself.
I will update the post to include this info too.
All the best.
Thank you so much for updating as requested. We have managed to transplant some Yarrow from a neighbour’s lawn into our otherwise Yarrow-free garden so that we have our own organic supply.
Love & Light
Paul & Gillian
Hi Lucinda! Lovely blog and such wonderful information! Question for you – my friend suffers from diverticulitis and I was wondering which Yarrow preparation would work best to help aid in her healing? Thank you! ~* Emma
Hi Emma,
I’d be tempted to go with tea if they don’t mind the taste, which is a bit strong and bitter, possibly combined with calendula or plantain, maybe with a bit of honey to sweeten it. To get a better picture they’d need to see a herbalist as everyone is different but I’d certainly consider giving this combo a go first.
Matthew Wood says tincture in his book so you could try that if it’s easier to take.
Both would be fine really I think.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
An excellent article in all ways! You have such a way of really bringing out the personality of an herb – I always come away from your writings feeling not just that I have learned, but that I actually know the herb more deeply than before. I just love this line:
“They demand that we know them, rather than just a list of their actions, and that we let go of linear thinking and delve into the realms of experiential understanding instead.”
So true, and clearly you do know them in a very deep and profound way
Yarrow truly is exceptional and it was the first herb that came to me in a dream when I first began to study! I also remember a teacher telling me once how she was camping in British Columbia in grizzly country – and she started her menses and became very afraid that the bears would be attracted to the scent. She made a very strong infusion of yarrow and drank it throughout her trip and it actually stopped the bleeding until she was able to get back to safety! I will always remember that!
So protective and healing on so many levels! Thanks for a glorious post, I can’t wait till you publish your first herbal
XOXO
D
Thanks so much Danielle for your lovely comment.
I love that yarrow came to you in a dream, what a spectacular way to start your herbal journey.
That’s so interesting about your teacher, when normally we would take yarrow to help the blood flow – plants so know what they are doing, I am continually humbled by them.
Take care
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
That is a nice idea to ask Brigitte!:) Oh Peppermint and the kittens are just lovely! xxxxx
Hi you two!
Thanks for your idea of asking me about a guest post but I really wouldn’t know what to write… I am not fluent in English and the herb blog was a nice way to learn this language.
About yarrow, you wrote a very lovely post Lucinda! This is still my most used herb.
I’m back to basics and use now only a handfull of herbs for healing.
Yarrow by example helped to wipe PMS out of my life, and if I forget to drink a tea (dried aerial part which I infuse for 10-15 minutes) my mood and sore breasts sure will tell.
I drink a morning cup starting 3 days before ovulation for 5 days and again 3 days before Moon-time until period is finished.
People are different so it is to every woman to find out what works best for her. While some women start to have heavier bleeding others will have less and a very balanced moon-time.
The root is very potent and I used it as a ‘morning-after pill’
A strong decotion makes the uterus lining so acid an egg wouldn’t settle.
This is still used by some Native Americans.
But never use while pregnant and please never use for abortion. This can go very wrong and women might end up with a deformed and sick baby!
Yarrow is a very potent herb. Some people react allergic by touching it.
I get a rash myself when harvesting in sunshine, but I can drink the tea and take a yarrow bath without problems.
I’m looking forward for more posts about one of my favorit herbs
Love Brigitte
Brigitte you have just proved my point about all the wonderful things you know about!
I did not know the root could be used in this way, that’s very interesting. It’s obviously very stimulating.
No pressure but if one day you feel the urge to write something then I would love to host it here, I did so enjoy your blog.
What were the ingredients in your wound powder recipe again? I am guessing yarrow must have been one of them but what else was in there?
Thanks for taking time to comment, it’s nice to stay in touch, much love xx
So pleased to have found this blog, I have learned so much
I’ve had yarrow in my garden for the first time this year and have dried for teas (I find the elderflower, peppermint and yarrow cold and flu tea really helpful) and also made a simple ointment for wounds. Am very impressed, does seem to stop the bleeding from small but profusely bleeding cuts to the fingers – the sort you get in the kitchen which are a problem if you are half way through cooking!
Thank you Brigitte for the PMS advice – have been trying various remedies for pre-menstrual breast soreness, but would not have thought of this one. Always prefer to use a simple native weed where possible, rather than anything more exotic.
This is my first time on this site. I have an old farm with lots of yarrow & wild onions (I think) & garlic. I think someone had an herb garden years ago & this is what survived. How should I prepare yarrow tea for cough? How should it be used for wounds? Tea or just slap on the leaves? I live in North Florida.
Thank you
Cindy
Hi Cindy,
How great that you still have some remnants from the herb garden.
For wounds you can use as a spit poultice if you are out and about (see main article for details) or if you are at home you can wash with the tea or even dab on some tincture or ointment, whichever you have on hand,
I don’t tend to use yarrow for coughs, I prefer thyme or other herbs but for colds or flus the tea is very helpful. Just steep about a teaspoon of leaves and flowers (either fresh or dried) per cup of water (with another teaspoon of peppermint if you want to improve the taste) for about 15 minutes and drink hot.
Hope that is helpful.
All the best.
hi would this herb be good for swelling? My husband is having trouble with his feet and ankles swelling wondering if this would work.
Hi Iorene, it could be but it really depends on what is causing the swelling i.e. joint problems, circulatory problems or something else. He could be wise to see a local practitioner as it’s always important to look at why a symptom is occurring rather than just treating the symptom itself if you want to really improve someone’s health.
hello i have read that powdered yarrow can be used on pets, i was wondering if this was true?
is it true that its safe for use on pets?
Hi Lucinda
This is my first time on the site, interesting and educational article – what an amazing herb. I have uterine fibroids and have been doing some reserach on which herbs to take to reduce the amount of blood loss. Yarrow has cropped up a few times and I have just bought some Yarrow teabags. However, I am concerned that yarrow can both increase or decrease the amount of blood loss. Am I correcting in understanding that herbs are in tune with your body and do whatever is needed? I really can’t afford to lose any more blood!!
Also do you have any other suggestions of what I could take?
Thanks – Rachel