Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

This versatile herb helps with a wide range of complaints, from breathing difficulties to high blood pressure. It supports the liver and gallbladder, speeds recovery from flu, and eases digestive discomfort.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is among the oldest medicinal plants. Legend holds that the Greek hero Achilles used it to staunch bleeding.

Thanks to its many active compounds, yarrow has broad therapeutic applications. Its essential oil relaxes muscle spasms, helps expel gas, calms inflammation, and eliminates intestinal worms. It is commonly taken to soothe digestive complaints such as stomach disorders, inflammation of the intestinal lining, constipation, and bloating. Applied externally, its anti inflammatory action eases rheumatic discomfort and hemorrhoidal pain.

It is also used to treat infections of the mouth, conjunctivitis, eczema, and other conditions including fevers. Yarrow has diuretic properties, helps reduce blood pressure, and is employed in managing disorders linked to thrombosis and abnormally high arterial pressure.

The plant may be used for urinary tract infections as well. It stimulates bile production and supports liver function. Traditionally, yarrow has been taken to ease uterine cramps during menstruation and childbirth. When used regularly in small amounts, it can help regulate the menstrual cycle, particularly where periods are infrequent or irregular. It also helps break down mucus and supports the respiratory tract. During flu and in convalescence after serious illness, a honey sweetened yarrow tonic is considered beneficial. Some sources note that hot yarrow tea may relieve migraine. Yarrow also helps clarify oily skin and is therefore a common ingredient in skin care products.

It is most often dried for tea and harvested after it flowers from June through October, although it may also be used fresh.

For the table, it can be picked in early spring from late February through June, and sometimes again in autumn. Only the youngest and most tender leaves taste good, while older leaves become too bitter. You can reduce the bitterness by blanching the leaves in hot water and draining them. The fresh young leaves are aromatic thanks to the essential oil, and in Germany they are added to soups, salads, and stews, or stirred into fresh cheese and butter, or combined with sorrel and plantain. Yarrow can also season dishes in place of parsley leaves. With lemon juice or citric acid, the young leaves make a flavorful sauce similar to dill sauce. Beyond its medicinal value, fresh yarrow is worth adding to the diet because it is rich in vitamin C and carotene. It grows abundantly throughout Croatia and often appears in gardens as a volunteer weed. You can also grow it from seed sown in pots.

Yarrow Tea Blend

Ingredients: 25 g yarrow, 25 g plantain, 25 g service tree fruit (Sorbus domestica)

Combine all ingredients and place in a jar. For tea, pour 250 ml boiling water over two teaspoons of the blend and let it steep for 15 minutes.

Drink two to three cups a day. This tea is used to help expel clotted blood from internal organs caused by fractures, sprains, or falls.

Therapeutic Yarrow Tea

Ingredients: 1 to 2 teaspoons yarrow (2 to 5 g), 250 ml water

Pour hot water over the yarrow, leave to infuse for five minutes, then strain.

Drink three to four times a day, preferably with meals. It is also suitable for compresses and for rinsing wounds that heal slowly.

Yarrow Tincture

Ingredients: 50 g yarrow, 1 liter brandy with 40 to 45 percent alcohol

Place chopped yarrow in a jar, cover with brandy, and leave in a warm place for 14 days. Shake occasionally. Strain and bottle.

Take one tablespoon of the tincture morning and evening. It serves as a tonic to stimulate appetite and strengthen the body.

Yarrow Wine

Ingredients: 1 tablespoon yarrow, 250 ml white wine

Simmer the yarrow in the wine for ten minutes. Strain.

Drink two cups a day as a remedy for bloody stools, poor appetite, and for kidney, gallbladder, and urinary stones.

Sitz Bath

Ingredients: 100 g fresh or dried yarrow, 1 liter water

Pour hot water over the yarrow, cover and leave to steep for 20 minutes, then strain.

Use: Add to bathwater that reaches up to the waist. Used for gynecological complaints and hemorrhoids.

Yarrow Oil

Ingredients: 100 g dried yarrow leaves, 1 liter sunflower oil

Place the chopped dried yarrow in a wide mouthed jar and cover with oil. Cover the top with parchment paper or plastic wrap and tie securely. Line a larger pot with cloths, place the jar wrapped in fabric on the cloths, then pour in cold water so that it surrounds the jar. Heat gently until the water comes to a boil and let it barely simmer for three hours. Remove from the heat and allow the water in the pot to cool. Strain the oil through a clean cloth and decant into opaque bottles.

Apply the oil to affected areas, and for inflamed hemorrhoids prepare compresses. For a stomach ulcer, take one teaspoon of the oil before meals in the morning and evening.

Caution! In those allergic to other plants in the Asteraceae family, yarrow may cause contact dermatitis with inflammatory skin changes. Do not use during pregnancy.