Yarrow

L Compositae

Names:

Achillea millefolium,Milfoil Woundwort, Carpenter's Weed, Old Mans Pepper, Soldiers Woundwort, Knights' Milfoil, Herbe Militaris, Thousand Bleed, Nose Bleed, Bloodwort, Staunchweed, Sanguinary, Devils' Nettle, Devils' Plaything, Bad Mans' Plaything, Yarroway.

Historic Uses:

Wounds healing, stemming bllod flow, Achilles cured warriors with leaves, the name is a corruption of Anglo Saxon, gearwe, plant , and of Dutch, yerw.

Soldiers called it Knights' Milfoil, or Soldiers' Woundwort. Called the military herb by the Ancients. A discovery of Achilles. Used in spell making for divination .

Prep; Fluid extract, 1/2 to 1 drachm.

TEA:

Two tbsp in 2-3 cups hot water steeped frive minutes. Drink one cup with honey.

Ever think of the scent of Preparation H? Highlanders can freely wear their kilts and hang out in the breeze- their 'soldiers' ointment' is good for piles (hemmhorhoids).

Norwegian cure for rheumatism.A recommendation of Linnaeus for rheumatism and toothache.

Constituents:

volatile oil containing azulene, a glycoalkaloide, achilleine (use dreid flowers and leaves)

Uses:

diaphoretic, antipyretic, hypotensive, diuretic and urinary,antispetic, hypotension and coronary, thrombosis, dysentery, diarrhoea, use fresh leaves for toothache, menstrual regulation, stimulates gastric secretion, fresh herbs in salad and herb bread, use in soups and stews*,hops sub in brewing, cosmetic cleaner: greasy complexion, tobacco sub mixed with clover blossoms and sage leaves (or shreds of tobacco) gives a tobacco-like taste.**, I Ching sticks for fortune telling, also woven wreathes cane* ,combine with Elderflowers and Peppermint for influenza.

See A Modern Herbal for a poem spell consisting of repeating a verse while holding a yarrow leaf up the nose.

See the same book for a spell from an herb sachet for a vision of future marriage.

Contra-Indications

Too much causes headache and vertigo

*see Herbs at Passover or Ultra Herb Bread
soup: fill a tea egg with dried yarrow and boil in soup stock
**an experimental blend of the author
*water spray a wreath of yarrow 'canes", watch a fresh green wreath grow from it.

References:

The Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Herbalism, edited by Malcolm Stuart, Orbis Publishing London 1970
A Modern Herbal, Mrs Grieve F.R.H.S., Tiger Books International, London