Yarrow grows up to 1 metre in height and it is commonly found in park meadows, overgrown gardens and along railway tracks.
It has downy ridged-stems, a creeping underground stem, and flat white flower heads. The feathery and pungent leaves are finely divided.
In the past Yarrow leaves have been useful for covering and healing open cuts and wounds.
- Gastrointestinal ailments, for example to help alleviate colics1
- Wounds and bleeding 1
- Skin conditions1
- Respiratory infections1
- Antibacterial activity1 (in vitro evidence)
- Anti-inflammatory activity1 (in vitro, in vivo evidence)
- Antispasmodic activity1 (in vitro evidence)
- Gastroprotective activity1 (in vivo evidence)
How it can be used
- Leaves, flowers, and stem can be harvested when the plant is flowering and pressed to make a juice used orally to treat spastic discomforts of the digestive tract 2
- Do not use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding
- It can cause allergic skin rashes3
- It has been known to make the skin more sensitive to sunlight3
- In vitro evidence: evidence from studies using isolated components of living organisms such as cells or purified molecules
- In vivo evidence: evidence from studies with whole living organisms
- Clinical trial evidence: evidence from clinical trials conducted with humans
- Applequist, W. L. & Moerman, D. E. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.): A Neglected Panacea? A Review of Ethnobotany, Bioactivity, and Biomedical Research1. Econ. Bot. 65, 209–225 (2011).
- Blumenthal, M., Ph.D, W. R. B. & Goldberg, A. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. (Elsevier Health Sciences, 1999).
- Plants for a future website: http://www.pfaf.org