Names and Myths

Achillea Of Achilles

millefolium thousand leaved. Chippewas called it squirrel tail

Natural history / Folklore

Pollen has been dated from the Neanderthal burial caves from 60,000 years BP.⁵⁵

Yarrow spreads not only by seed but, by underground runners.¹⁷ Leaves are bitter and not favored by cattle.⁶ When cattle consume yarrow it can give an off taste to the milk. ⁴⁵

Yarrow has a long history of medical use, Discorides had named it solier's woundwort.⁵⁵ It was used from ancient Greece at the Trojan War³⁸ up to the Civil War to staunch battle wounds.¹¹ The pulverized leaf is used to stop bleeding; nosebleeds, bleeding hemorrhoids, extensive menstrual bleeding.  There is a chemical basis for these claims for it contains achelleine, and alkaloid that will stop bleeding.³⁸

Early settlers introduced yarrow to North America and spread it across the continent.⁵⁵ Has been used as a tea, steep leaves 10 min.²⁰ Yarrow contains tannins which are astringent, and essential oils which are antiseptic.⁵⁵

As a dye it produces yellow to olive green hues.

1. Plants aromatic
2. First year leaves basal,

Description

June - September White flowers with 5 ray blossoms each arranged in flat umbels. Alternate, bipinnate to tripinnate leaves divided and fernlike. Roadsides, Fields, Woods borders.