(Achillea millefolium)
Distribution, Description, Interactions
Common yarrow is a perennial flowering plant that can be found in Eurasia and North America. Usually growing in fields, meadows, roadsides, and hedgerows, the plant can often be found growing in disturbed ground. Common yarrow has feather-like leaves, giving them the name millefolium (meaning “a thousand leaves”). The plant flowers between June and November and has white flowers, clustered together in usually round, flat-topped groups.
Yarrow attracts many pollinator insects including butterflies and bees, hoverflies, as well as some fly and beetle species. Some birds, such as starlings, use yarrow to line their nests.
Uses & Folklore
Yarrow has been used by several cultures in traditional medicine. It can be used to stop wounds from bleeding, and has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and astringent qualities. It has also been used to brew beer.
The name of the genus Achillea originates in the myth of Achilles, who is said to have used the plants medicinally to heal the wounds of his fellow soldiers. Other names for the plant include “devil’s nettle”, “bloodwort”, “sanguinary”, and “soldier’s woundwort”.
Further Information:
https://www.britannica.com/plant/yarrow
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/wildflowers/yarrow
