The Wonderful Yarrow

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Posted by @dave on
Yarrow, Achillea millefolium, has been known and loved for thousands of years, and in fact, its name came from the Greek hero, Achilles.

Photo by Calif_Sue
Loosely quoting from Sharon's article from earlier this year, the story goes that in times of antiquity, Achilles had an army of many thousands of soldiers, who were severely wounded, but hardly any of them died because Achilles carried a good supply of yarrow with him. Whenever a soldier was wounded, Achilles covered the wound with leaves from the yarrow plant and tied them in place with rags torn from his own shirts. The yarrow, being a magic plant, stanched the flow of blood and the wound healed very quickly. For those soldiers who were suffering from internal wounds, Achilles made a tea from the yarrow leaves, and the wounded man drank the tea and all internal bleeding stopped. The men were soon well enough to rejoin the battle.

Well, I don't know if Achilles ever even really existed, or if the warriors fighting Troy actually used yarrow to heal themselves, but the plant is unquestionably worth growing in every garden. Let's talk about why that is.

Yarrows are just downright easy to grow perennials. In fact, once established you can't unintentionally kill them. I love their low maintenance aspect. They tolerate poor soil just fine, and their water needs are modest. They do prefer mesic (average) water conditions, but can grow fine in dry soil. When drought comes, they'll just sit there and continue doing what they've always done, without complaint. They like full sun but can handle some partial shade. Deer and rabbits will generally leave the plant alone.

The species spreads readily by seed, and this is a huge advantage for growing it in the pasture. If you keep cows, you would do very well to establish some of the species variety in your pastures.

The plant is cold hardy clear up to zone 3, so you can grow it everywhere. It provides some winter interest because it is semi-evergreen. For us in East Texas, the ferny foliage cheers our gardens all winter long.

The blooms come in mid spring and continue into the summer, bringing reds, yellows, whites, pinks, and golds. They form a matted groundcover, which can be a stunning sight when in bloom! The flowers are excellent as cut flowers, and they dry quite nicely to be used in dried arrangements. The blooms are attractive to butterflies, and bees will visit them frequently.

Photo by chelle
As with most perennials I grow, yarrow is a dynamic nutrient accumulator of phosphorus, potassium, and iron. You can cut the foliage back and use it in compost to greatly improve the nutrient value of your soil. Plant yarrow around fruit trees and you will provide automatic fertilizing.

To propagate, simply dig up a clump and divide into as many new plants as you desire. I have found that a good sized clump can easily produce 50 new plants. It grows so fast that a little new shoot will fill out a 1-gallon container within 6 weeks of being potted into it.

Now, as for its edibility, it has a bitter taste and contains many vitamins and minerals. Harvest and mix young leaves in soups and salads. Due to its bitterness, it can be used as a substitute for hops in brewing beer. Make a healthy tea from the leaves and flower heads.

Much has been written about yarrow's medicinal purposes, so I won't cover it much here except to say that it is viewed as anti-inflammatory and antiseptic. A poultice applied to cuts will stop bleeding almost immediately. The plant contains a compound called azulene, which apparently helps with women's problems, such as irregular or painful periods, and can reduce excessive menstrual bleeding.

You're convinced. Now, which ones should you grow? Our yarrows database currently shows 282 different varieties of yarrows, but let me help you narrow down your list a bit:

The regular species Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is readily available. You probably already know a gardener who has the white weedy yarrow, and because it spreads so easily, it's never hard to convince them to let you dig some up. I don't recommend the species for garden growing, though, as it can get out of control and look unsightly. Grow the species out in the pastures and orchards where it will benefit your livestock and trees.

There are numerous cultivars of yarrow that do not set seed, and these are the ones I recommend. Yarrow (Achillea 'Moonshine') is a lovely yellow yarrow and is currently the favorite yarrow in the All Things Plants database. Fern-Leaf Yarrow (Achillea filipendulina 'Coronation Gold') is another yellow one with a deeper color. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium 'Summer Pastels') is a cultivar that expresses itself in a kaleidoscope of different colors, ranging from white to mauve and red.

My two personal favorites are Yarrow (Achillea millefolium 'Paprika') and Yarrow (Achillea millefolium Appleblossom) . The former sports fiery red blooms atop 2-foot-tall scapes, and blooms later in the season, which helps extend the ornamental season of my garden. The latter is a soft and delicate peachy color.

If you don't have yarrow yet, get it soon. Every garden should have it.

 
Comments and Discussion
Thread Title Last Reply Replies
Why can't I grow yarrow? by Sheridragonfly Jun 2, 2022 10:16 AM 5
A staple in my gardens by jvdubb Nov 22, 2014 9:07 PM 5
Untitled by donnabking Nov 22, 2014 4:12 PM 0
Wow by Ecscuba Nov 17, 2014 10:03 AM 0

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