Ipsophyto

No.8 Achillia millefolium Yarrow. Asteracea family

This is a perennial plant steeped in history. Yarrow is widely spread and naturalised around the world, being instantly recognisable for the dark green patches of small feathery leaves, which, in a broken patchwork kind of way, carpet the ground on a lawn in a drought. It colonises waysides, pastures, grassy banks, hedgerows, and waste places

This plant was apparently held in much esteem thousands of years ago, according to evidence of plant remains discovered in a Neolithic grave in ancient Iraq. The plant was also notably and mythically used by the god Achilles on the battlefield in ancient Greece as a blood staunching vulnerary herb of great repute. This is due to its bitter astringent qualitie.

Fashions and wealth bring numerous changes to our landscape, as the treatment of yarrow will testify to. Nowadays, the plant is generally thought of no more than as a weed to get rid of in the garden, unless growing a cultivated variety in which case you will have to pay money for the pleasure of seeing its the little umbel style mats of numerous flowers. In the wild medicinal plants, these are mostly white and often subtley differing shades of pink floral clusters.

It thrives in many conditions in many nations, and as it puts up with substantial amounts of drought without losing its fresh green look of vitality, Yarrow rightly retains its place in the medicine cabinet of the traveller, as well as being a favourite of numerous herbalists. It is embraced in the kitchen of the adventurous because the younger leaves are palatable in a salad with dressing. For other more ornamentally inclined gardeners, Yarrow (its showy pink cousins anyway) merit inclusion in a formal garden.

As mentioned by the latin name ‘millefolium’, the leaf is a feathery multi-cut-affair, although there are not a thousand leaves! These extend 5-15cm in length, being lanceolate in shape and bi / tri-pinnate. The basal leaves are long and have petioles, the upper short and sessile. They arise forming a rosette from late march, originating from underground rhizomes. Flowering occurs usually in late summer.

During July and August, the flowers are borne on a dense terminal corymb resembling an umbel. The individual flowerheads are numerous and creamy white with a sometimes pink flowering version not uncommon. There are five-six florets in each headThese will grow up to 50cm on woolly furrowed stems. The flowers have a characteristic odour and taste bitter. The fruit are small achenes, 2mm long.

Parts used

The herb while flowering, some say just the flowers. Harvesting therefore from June through October. The plant needs drying in gentle heat, or in cold circulating air.

Constituents

Vol oil: containing cineol, pinnene, azulene, eugenol, thujone, camphor. Bitters, cyanogenic glycosides, salicylic acid, asparagin, Tannins, isovalerianic acid

Pharmacology

Cineole has antiseptic qualities, azulene reduces inflammation and stimulates formulation of granulation tissue (for wound healing) Bitter action stimulates digestion, tannins have an astringent effect on exterior and interior surfaces of the body. This boys, means that Yarrow is good for the possible ulceration that alcohol or caffeine coupled with your rich diet is bringing on

Taken internally Yarrow can reach any place throughout your Gastro-intestinal-tract. Nice work. The salicylates are general anti-inflammatory’s as well as helping the stomach wall repair itself.

Yarrow is also diuretic, expectorant and a digestive stimulant which is  explainable by essential oil content. The isovalerianic acid and cyanogenic glycosides have sedative actions. Asparagin is a potent diuretic. As with any member of the Asteracea family, there is a slight risk of possible phytosensitivity for some individuals especially with dermatological problems.

This plant has restrictions on availability in USA, due to its thujone content in some of its polyploid specimens. Yarrow is a one of many different plant species which exhibit the characteristic of specimens with more than the commonly found two sets of chromosomes, or diploid. Thujone, as will be discussed in the section on Artemisia species, is a potentially toxic monoterpene compound found within essential oils in a range of plants, including Sages as well as many others. Due to Yarrow’s propensity to polyploid variation in chemical profile, this seems a little harsh. 

Yarrow has been traditionally employed as a wound herb, digestive aid and bile stimulant, as well as finding much use as an anti-spasmodic. It has reported use for nervous dyspepsia, palpitations, painful periods and convulsions. The herb is much used as a diaphoretic in cases of fevers, whilst also being of use as a peripheral vasodilator. The plant exhibits many uses akin to a family relative, chamomile. Yarrow is, however, more widespread throughout the UK being a successful coloniser of waste ground, both in rural and country settings as well as being more tolerant of adverse conditions and drought.

The plant is simple to use like many others in as much it needs only to be collected when in flower, using leaf and flower is fine. This is infused in  water just boiled. Remember though, that boiling water and temperatures above 40°C will rapidly volatise and evaporate the 10 carbon mono-terpenes, which constitute a large part of the essential oil within plant matter. This is why a lid must be placed onto any tea-cup or other receptacle that you infuse in and decoct into. Remember also, that fresh material can be up to 90% water and more than you think of fresh material is required for a medicinal dose when using medicine herbs in this way.