Yarrow - Description, History, Edible and Medicinal Uses and more!

Yarrow - Achillea millefolium is one of the most widely used herbs in the world with a history going back thousands and maybe tens of thousands of years. Yarrow is a complex and variable species. Another related species in BC is Achillea borealis. Yarrow as been studied extensively and is widely used medicinally. The yarrow plant is one of my favourites, and the yarrow benefits are very numerous.
History and Etymology of Yarrow
Yarrow is one of the most widely used medicinal plants in the world, and yarrow has been used medicinally for thousands of years dating back to at least the ancient Greeks and possible much longer.
A Neanderthal tomb was excavated which dated back 40,000 to 60,000 years, and yarrow pollen was found in it along with other herbs.
Achillea may be derived from the Greek doctor who first recorded the medicinal use of yarrow. The name might also originate from Greek mythology. The Greek hero Achilles was said to have used it to heal many of his soldiers wounds from battle with it due to its ability to be a styptic or to stop bleeding.
Another story related to Achilles is that as a baby Achilles was dipped in a vat of yarrow tea by his mother in order to protect him from the dangers of war. She held onto him by his heel or ankle to dip him into the vat, and the place she held onto him was later pierced by an arrow which led to his death.
It is also said that Napoleon's army, when invading Russia, carried yarrow with them in order to be prepared to stop bleeding wounds.
Millefolium is derived from Latin meaning thousand leafed. Yerw is derived from Dutch meaning to repair. Garwe is from Old English meaning spear-well as in to make well from a spear. Gearwe is from Anglo-Saxon from gierwan meaning to prepare as in the preparation of a healing herb.
Identification and Description of Yarrow
Yarrow is most famous as a styptic - something that stops bleeding. Yarrow is a perrenial herb which spreads by rhizomes which are underground stems. The feathery leaves grow along the ground and can make an excellent ground cover or alternative to grass.
Yarrow Leaves - The basal leaves, or leaves that emerge at the bottom of the plant, have long petioles, or leaf stalks. Lower leaves on the stalk also have petioles but middle and upper leaves are stalk-less. The leaves are highly pinnately divided. The flowering stem can be as tall as 3.5 " with alternate leaves.
Yarrow Flowers - The flowers grow in a cluster at the top of the stem and are usually white and sometimes pinkish. They are in clusters of 10-75 composite flowers, and the cluster is usually 5- 10 cm across and flat-topped or sometimes rounded.
Medicinal Uses of Yarrow
Yarrow is one of the most widely used medicinal plants in the world.
Edible Uses of Yarrow
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Please consume wild plants at your own risk! Consult multiple reliable sources before consuming any wild plants! This video is for information and entertainment only!
References
Gray, Beverley. The Boreal Herbal: Wild Food and Medicine Plants of the North. Aroma Borealis Press. 2011.
Kloos, Scott. Pacific Northwest Medicinal Plants. Timber Press, Inc. 2017
MacKinnon, A. Edible and Medicinal Plants of Canada. Lone Pine Media Productions (BC) Ltd. 2014.
Nyerges, Christopher. Guide to Wild Foods and Useful Plants. Chicago Review Press Incorporated. 2014.
Parish, R.; Coupe, R.; and Lloyd, D. Plants of the Inland Northwest and Southern Interior British Columbia. BC Ministry of Forests and Lone Pine Publishing. 2018
Pojar, Jim and MacKinnon, Andy. Plants of Coastal British Columbia including Washington, Oregon & Alaska. BC Ministry of Forests and Lone Pine Publishing. 2004.
Varner, Collin. Edible and Medicinal Flora of the West Coast. Heritage House Publishing Company Ltd. 2020.
Warnock, Caleb. 437 Edible Wild Plants of the Rocky Mountain West. Familius LLC. 2018.