Yarrow – Achillea millefolium
Yarrow is just starting to bloom here. In the wild, they are not very tall and it’s easy for many to walk by without noticing this amazing plant. Yarrow has a long and ancient history. It’s scientific name – Achillea – comes from its reputation as the magical protective herb Achilles was dipped in by his mother, Thetis. This belief in yarrow’s protective power extends to other cultures as well. It was worn or carried as a protective amulet by Celts and in China, it was used for divination and the original sticks used with the I Ching were made from yarrow stalks. Trained as a great healer, Achilles was also believed to favor yarrow over any other herb, and used it to treat soldiers on the battlefield. As such, it is also sometimes known as soldier’s wort and woundwort. Other common names include milfoil, staunchweed, fernweed, bloodwort, and dog daisy. Traces of yarrow have been found in Neanderthal sites, indicating its been used for more than 50,000 years.
When many herbalists are asked to choose only one plant to use, yarrow is always near the top of the list (herbalists can never choose just one!). A powerful medicinal, it works on almost every system of the body. It has a tonic and stimulating effect on the urinary, female reproductive, respiratory and gastrointestinal systems and is anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and styptic (stops bleeding). When taken hot, its diaphoretic action (induces sweating) makes it excellent for fevers. 
All of these properties make it a great medicine for colds and flu, urinary tract infections, especially if bleeding is present, and inflamed and bleeding intestinal disorders, such as diverticulitis and colitis. For women’s health, yarrow is helpful for excessive menstrual flow, inflamed ovaries, prolapsed uterus, fibroids and yeast infections.
Yarrow works on the blood and circulation and lowers blood pressure by dilating the peripheral vessels and toning blood vessels in general. It is most famously known for its ability to stop bleeding as well as break up congested blood. This makes it an excellent first aid herb. Fresh yarrow, slightly chewed to release the juices, can be applied to wounds to stop bleeding and prevent infection, hence its many common names in reference to wound healing, bleeding and soldiers. The essential oil is also anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic.
Yarrow was traditionally added in place of Hops to brew beer and young leaves were used as a salad green or seasoning. Oddly, it fell out of favor in the kitchen. It does play an important role in digestion as well and helps to stimulate the release of bile and can dispel gas pains. Most know it now as a garden ornamental (pictured on the right) or common plant on the side of trails. Ornamental varieties of yarrow will have some of the same medicinal properties, but the wild version is stronger.
Want to bring yarrow back into the kitchen? We’re a fan of this recipe from Food & Wine with a slight change.
This is a great one for the summer!
Shrimp with Yarrow and Baked Lemon
3 tablespoons of extra-version olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 organic lemons
2 tablespoons of honey
2 tablespoons of fresh yarrow leaves, chopped; a few springs for garnish
24 large shrimp (shelled and deveined), cut almost in half lengthwise
cayenne pepper
salt
Preheat oven to 450 F (230 C) and light the grill. In a small bowl, combine the oil and garlic. Cut the ends from the lemons (so they sit flat) and then cut them in half crosswise. Place in baking dish and drizzle each half with honey. Bake for 10-1 5 min or until the honey is melted and the pulp is soft. For the shrimp, sprinkle chopped yarrow inside each shrimp and close. Brush with the oil and garlic and sprinkle with salt and cayenne. Grill the shrimp for 2-3 minutes each side or until opaque. Squeeze some of the lemon juice over the shrimp and garnish with yarrow. Serve while hot with the baked lemons.
