YARROW: The Magical Plant

Thou pretty herb of Venus' tree,

Thy true name it is Yarrow;

Now who my bosom friend must be,

Pray tell me thou tomorrow.

(Halliwell's Popular Rhymes)

In the English Isles it was believed that you could obtain a vision of your future husband or wife by sewing an ounce of Yarrow leaves up in flannel, placing the small bundle under your pillow, and then before going to bed, repeating the poem above.  If this resulted in marriage, then as an extra protection, a bundle of Yarrow would be brought to your wedding to ensure that you have seven years of love as well.

The Yarrow was considered a Plant of Power, the manifestation of Good or Evil, depending on the intention of the user.  The darker side of the plant was indicated by two of its common names; Devil's Plaything and Devil's Nettle.  Europeans believed that Witches used Yarrow as an ingredient in their incantations and spells.  Yarrow was often placed about homes and churches on Midsummer's Eve to stop evil spirits entering at a time when they were thought to be most potent.  Did Europeans take witchcraft seriously?  It is estimated that between the 14th and 17th centuries, over 300,000 women and children were tortured and killed as witches.  Given the atmosphere of fear this produced, it is little wonder that people sought ways to protect themselves.

Where do you find such a powerful plant?  Just about anywhere.  Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) grows from sea-level to alpine meadows.  It belongs to the Daisy (Compositae) family, and grows throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and some areas of Australia and New Zealand.  Yarrow is a hardy perennial, which means that the part above the ground dies back, but the root remains alive over the winter.  It has a straight single stem, which reaches up to 2 feet in height.  Narrow, feathery gray-green leaves grow alternately from the stem, each leaf being divided seemingly into a 'thousand' parts - hence the source of its species name of 'millefolium', and the common name, Milfoil.  Crushing these leaves will release a strong, but not unpleasant, odour.

The flowers, white to pale pink, grow in dense, fairly flat clusters at the top of the stem.  The blossoms appear late in early summer (July) and will often last through September.  An infusion of these flowers has been used externally as a lotion for cleansing the skin, either directly by surface application, or indirectly by adding them to bathwater.  Yarrow (leaves, flowers, and root) has found wide application as a food, cosmetic, dye, and medicine, throughout its range.

In 16th century Europe the leaves were added to salads, or to stews, as a seasoning.  Hence another of the plant's common names, 'Old Man's Pepper'.  Chopped and used sparingly the leaves can be used to enhance the flavour of cream cheese or other similar sandwich spreads.  The Swedes called Yarrow, 'Field Hop', and they, as well as some African tribes, used it in place of hops to make a more intoxicating beer.  In the Southern United States Yarrow leaves were fried in butter until brown, sprinkled with sugar and the juices of an orange, and served hot.  The leaves have been used almost everywhere as a refreshing tonic tea, steeped, not boiled.

The dried and powdered leaves have provided a substitute for both snuff and smoking tobacco.  The entire plant has been used extensively as a dye.  The colour varies with the mordant used; Alum (mustard yellow), chrome (copper), copper (greenish gold), tin (bright green), and if no mordant is used, then the color produced is golden beige.  There appears to be no visible fading.  The Flathead Indians of Montana used the leaves in their natural state as a deodorant by rubbing them on their skin.

An excellent modern herbal entitled 'The Herb Book', by Arabella Boxer and Philippa Back, gives these instructions for making a Yarrow facepack for greasy skin.

'Mix 2 tsp. of dried milk with 1 tsp. of honey.  Add 2 tbs. of strong yarrow infusion, made by pouring a cupful of boiling water over 2 tbs. of yarrow leaves and flowers.  Whip up the white of an egg to a froth and add to the mixture, blending well.  Smooth the pack over the skin and leave for 20 minutes.  Rinse it off with warm water followed by a dab of cold water.  Pat dry and apply a light film of moisturizer.'

2^nd Part:  Yarrow used as a medicinal Herb.

The information in these articles is primarily for reference and education.  They are not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician. The instructor does not advocate self-diagnosis or self-medication; He urges anyone with continuing symptoms, however minor, to seek medical advice. The reader should be aware that any plant substance, whether used as food or medicine, externally or internally, may cause an allergic reaction in some people.