Above: Yarrow growing in my garden.
This blog post is part of my 2021 Herbal Oil Blog Series and addresses Yarrow, including how to make a yarrow oil for first aid.
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Yarrow gets it Latin name, Achillea, because it was said to have grown all over the battlefields of the Trojan War, in which Achilles was a hero. As one of the most useful herbs for bleeding disorders, Yarrow was believed to have been used on the wounds of soldiers in the Trojan War.
Both Yarrow leaves and flowers are used medicinally, and can be foraged from early June through September. They taste bitter and pungent and have neutral and drying energetics.
Astringent herbs contract tissues and lessen secretions, while styptic herbs specifically contract blood vessels. Yarrow is both, making it an ideal herb for internal or external bleeding. Its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and vulnerary properties then prevent infection and promote healing to the tissues. Yarrow is featured prominently in my first aid kit!
Internal Use
Tea, tincture
Yarrow is useful in a formula for bleeding ulcerated tissue of the gastrointestinal and urinary tracts. It is especially useful when diarrhea or mucus is present, respectively. This often occurs with gastric ulcers, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (especially with diarrhea or mixed symptoms), Inflammatory Bowel Diseases like Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s Disease, and urinary tract infections.
Yarrow also lessens excessive menstrual bleeding and painful cramping.
As a diaphoretic, the hot tea encourages sweating to relieve high fevers in both children and adults. Use at the early onset of colds and flus. It can also be useful for mild sinus congestion due to colds or allergies.
External Use
Infused oil, salve, compress, poultice, liniment, hydrosol, essential oil
Yarrow contains many monoterpenes which can be easily smelled, the most commonly known one being camphor. These terpenes act as antibacterial, antispasmodic, and pain-relieving agents that work both internally and externally.
A wonderful first aid herb, Yarrow can be used like many other vulnerary herbs for scrapes, cuts, bug bites and stings, and rashes. Use the fresh or rehydrated herb as a poultice, the tea as a compress, or the oil or salve as a rub. More unique to Yarrow is its profound ability to stop bleeding (best achieved by the compress of tea or diluted tincture, or fresh/rehydrated poultice). And because of the many terpenes present, a Yarrow liniment can be used to promote healing of sprains and bruises.
Because of its styptic abilities, Yarrow tea can be used as a spritz or the oil can be made into a salve or suppository for hemorrhoids. The tea can also be used as a douche for excess vaginal discharge, vaginal infections such as bacterial vaginosis, and cervicitis.
Yarrow essential oil is popular in skincare products for people with oily skin. However, using Yarrow infused in jojoba oil as part of your skincare routine can be just as effective, as well as more accessible and sustainable. Yarrow hydrosol is a useful facial toner and can be distilled at home with the proper equipment.
To make a Yarrow-infused oil to add to your first aid kit, follow the instructions in my Make Your Own Herbal Oils blog post.
Yarrow is very drought-tolerant and can usually be found in meadows. Yarrow is easily identified, with its white flowers and feathery leaves that both smell like camphor. Many different colors of hybrid varieties are available at garden centers, however wild Yarrow is what is used for its medicinal properties.
To the untrained eye, poison Hemlock can be mistaken for Yarrow, so always make sure you consult experts and field guides to properly identify any plant you are foraging. However, once you meet Yarrow once, it will be obvious to you the differences between Yarrow and poison Hemlock.
Interested in making a Yarrow tincture extract? Watch the video below!
Free Yarrow Info Card Download
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