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Natural
History Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) Richard Hebda INDEX for Native Plants This text was originally published in Coastal Grower (formerly The Island Grower) in Victoria, British Columbia. For subscription information, please call Susanne Steele at the Coastal Grower at 250-478-0825. Numerous plant species release strong scents when crushed. These characteristic smells were often taken as a sign that the plant had important medicinal properties. Many modern-day popular remedies still depend on aromatic compounds from plants. For example several brands of cough candies contain derivatives of the eucalyptus plant. Numerous strongly scented plants thrive in British Columbia, including yarrow, a species well known around the world for it medicinal properties. Yarrow, a member of the Aster Family (Asteraceae), grows as a herbaceous perennial with leaves and flower stalks arising from creeping underground or near-surface root stocks. The aromatic fern- or feather-like leaves are finely divided and feel soft. Most of the leaves are clustered at the base of the flowering stalk; these leaves are mainly 10-15 cm (4-6 in.) long. The plant appears greyish-green because it is covered by many small hairs. Tiny flower heads crowd into flat-topped clusters atop stalks up to 100 cm (40 in.) high. Each tiny flower head in the cluster consists of 3-8 ray flowers with a strap shaped petal and disk flowers with only reproductive parts. The flowers are white to pinkish and appear from May to October depending on the local climate. The flower tops dry and turn brown by the end of summer, producing many one-seeded, smooth and flattened fruits. Yarrow prefers well-drained, open sites such as roadsides, meadows and rocky slopes. It grows from low to high elevations and often becomes weedy at low elevations. Yarrow thrives in coastal meadows, the arid sage brush steppe of the interior, and in dry alpine sites. You can find yarrow throughout British Columbia and over much of North America. It also occurs across northern and central Europe and Asia. Yarrow has been valued as a garden plant for centuries. You can by various forms as plants from garden centres and through the mail. Seeds of many colourful selections are available from seed houses. Plants are easily grown from seed sown into light seed compost or peat pellets in the fall or spring. Rhizome divisions transplant easily. Dwarf varieties thrive in rock gardens. Larger types are suitable for mixed borders, perennial beds and the cutting garden. When mowed regularly yarrow forms a soft scented ground cover especially valuable for dry lawns and may have applications in the xeriscape garden. Yarrow has been suggested for erosion control on slopes too. Strongly-scented yarrow was widely known to folk throughout the northern hemisphere. The strongly scented volatile oil of yarrow has antibacterial properties. Scottish Highlanders made yarrow ointment for wounds. In the Orkney Islands yarrow tea was drunk to dispel melancholy. Strong yarrow tea was considered a good remedy for colds and fevers. Many native elders of the B.C. interior value yarrow as a medicine especially to treat sores. Ulkatcho people soaked the leaves in hot water, then used them in a poultice for sore muscles. This same poultice could be used to treat saddle sores on horses. Washed and crushed roots were recommended for toothaches. Various teas and concoctions were prepared for internal problems and as a general tonic. Fresh leaves crushed and rubbed on the skin or put in a fire acted to repel mosquitoes. Herbal users should be aware that yarrow is "phototoxic". Skin exposed to yarrow may become irritated when exposed to strong sun. The name Achillea derives from the Greek hero, Achilles, who knew well the medicinal properties of the plant. The finely divided leaves are responsible for the species name millefolium=thousands of leaves.
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