Many indigenous cultures across North America have used yarrow for various illness and medicinal treatments. It has been known as "soldier's woundwort", "old man's pepper", milfoil and many other names. Native to many regions of the Northern Hemispher including North America, Asia and Europe, yarrow is an easy-to-grow herb that spreads quickly. You can start it easily from seed, but it's also readily available in many fields or friend's yard as a transplant. It is drought tolerant and will come back after a hard freeze.
Yarrow is enjoyed not only for it's beautiful flowers which bloom between April and September in most regions, but for many medicinal properties. It is well-known as a anti-coagulant, used to stop nose bleeds or open wounds. Once called herba militaris (militarty herb) by the Greeks, it has often been used by soldiers as a wound treatment. Many Native American nations have used yarrow as an astringent and for its mild laxative effects. The Navajo considered yarrow "life medicine" and chewed it for toothaches and applied yarrow infusion for earaches. It was also used traditionally as a pain and fever reducer, and to aid sleep.
Other traditional groups have used it as a hair rinse, divination tool and to give flavor in beer brewing. Many cultures around the world believe yarrow has many mystical properties and have used it to foretell the future, provide protection against bad spirits or elicit powerful dreams.
All parts of the yarrow plant have medicinal properties - leaves, flowers and even the stalks are utilized for I Ching divination in traditional Chinese medicine. Consider growing this beautiful herb in your garden and keep dried leaves or flowers on hand as part of your herbal first aid kit. I use yarrow in my garlic ear drops (for flu, fever, sore throat, runny nose) along with garlic and mullein flowers.
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