Yarrow – Used by Greek Hero Achilles to Heal his Soldiers’ Wounds in Battle

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is a tough, feathery-leaved wildflower in the daisy family that grows across the temperate parts of Europe, Asia and North America. Its scientific name honors the Greek hero Achilles, who, according to legend, used the plant to treat his soldiers’ wounds during the Trojan War.

Scientific Classification & Quick Facts

Common name	Yarrow
Scientific name	Achillea millefolium
Kingdom	Plantae
Phylum	Tracheophyta
Class	Magnoliopsida
Order	Asterales
Family	Asteraceae
Genus	Achillea
Conservation status	Least Concern
Type	Upright perennial herb with spreading rhizomes
Habitat	Full sun, well-drained soil, dry heat
Native range	Temperate Europe, Asia and North America
Colours	Red, pink, yellow and white
Flowering season	June to September
Height	0.2 to 1 m
Special feature	Deer-resistant; used to stop bleeding

A Plant with Many Names

Yarrow has collected a long list of nicknames over the centuries. Many of them point to its old reputation as a wound herb: soldier’s woundwort, staunchweed and sanguinary (from the Latin word for blood). Others describe its looks, such as thousand-leaf, which is what millefolium means in Latin. It has also been called old man’s pepper and devil’s nettle. In southern Colorado and New Mexico, Spanish speakers call it plumajillo, or “little feather,” because of its soft, lacy leaves.

In the Greek myths, the wise centaur Chiron taught Achilles about healing plants, and Achilles is said to have pressed yarrow leaves onto bleeding cuts. People in many cultures really did use yarrow this way for thousands of years. Today it is still described as a traditional herbal remedy, but it is not a substitute for proper first aid or medical care. Yarrow can also irritate sensitive skin, so always ask a doctor before using any plant as medicine.

What Yarrow Looks Like

Yarrow is a perennial herb, which means it comes back year after year. It grows upright to about 20 cm to 1 m (8 inches to 3 feet) tall and spreads underground by creeping stems called rhizomes, so one plant can slowly form a large patch.

• Leaves: long, soft and finely divided, so they look almost like ferns or feathers. They are often slightly hairy and have a strong, spicy smell when crushed. The biggest leaves grow near the base of the plant.
• Flowers: what looks like one flower is really a flat-topped cluster of many tiny flower heads. Wild yarrow is usually white or pale pink, while garden varieties come in red, pink, yellow, orange and cream.
• Seeds: each tiny flower produces a small, dry, one-seeded fruit called an achene.

Yarrow usually blooms from early summer to early fall, roughly June to September in the Northern Hemisphere. The flat flower clusters make perfect landing pads for butterflies, bees, hoverflies and other helpful insects.

How to Grow Yarrow

Photo by: H. Zell

Choosing a Spot

Nurseries sell yarrow as an easy garden plant, and it is a favorite in wildflower meadows, butterfly gardens and wildlife gardens. It loves full sun and well-drained soil. Yarrow is very drought tolerant and actually prefers poor or average soil. In rich, heavily fertilized soil it grows tall and floppy and may need support.

Planting

• Plant in spring, or in early fall in mild climates.
• Loosen the soil to about 30 cm (12 inches) deep. A thin layer of compost is fine, but there is no need to add lots of fertilizer.
• Space plants about 30 to 60 cm (1 to 2 feet) apart. Yarrow spreads quickly, so choose a place where it has room or where you can easily dig out extra plants.
• Most plants reach 60 cm to 1 m (2 to 3 feet) tall.

Watering and Support

Water new plants regularly until they settle in, letting the top of the soil dry out between waterings. Once established, yarrow rarely needs watering except during long dry spells. Soggy soil can rot the roots. Tall varieties in windy or rich spots may flop over, so a simple ring of stakes or a hoop put in place in late spring will keep them upright.

Care After Flowering

Photo by: H. Zell

Snip off faded flower clusters just above a pair of leaves. This is called deadheading, and it encourages the plant to keep blooming and stops it from scattering seeds all over the garden. Every two or three years, dig up and divide crowded clumps in spring. Dividing gives the leaves more air and helps prevent powdery mildew, a white, dusty-looking fungus.

Yarrow in the Garden and the Vase

Yarrow works well in rock gardens, along the edges of paths and in borders. Deer and rabbits usually leave it alone because of its strong smell, which makes it handy in gardens where wildlife nibble everything else.

It also makes a long-lasting cut flower. Cut stems when most of the tiny flowers in a cluster have opened, then keep the vase away from heaters, drafts and ripening fruit. Ripening fruit gives off a gas called ethylene that makes cut flowers fade faster. Yarrow also dries beautifully: hang bunches upside down in a dry, airy place for a couple of weeks.

Yarrow FAQs

Related: Cornflower – Used by Chiron a Centaur, to Heal his Wounds from Battle