{"id":14399,"date":"2020-04-29T13:52:36","date_gmt":"2020-04-29T12:52:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/?p=14399"},"modified":"2021-12-06T11:50:25","modified_gmt":"2021-12-06T11:50:25","slug":"identify-yarrow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2020\/04\/29\/identify-yarrow\/","title":{"rendered":"Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) Identification"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Yarrow \/ spring \/ summer \/ autumn \/ winter \/ edible<\/h2>\r\n<h2><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/YarrowLeavesC.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/h2>\r\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-14399 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-medium'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2020\/04\/29\/identify-yarrow\/yarrow_flowers_augustc1\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Yarrow_Flowers_AugustC1-300x225.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Yarrow_Flowers_AugustC1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Yarrow_Flowers_AugustC1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Yarrow_Flowers_AugustC1-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Yarrow_Flowers_AugustC1.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2020\/04\/29\/identify-yarrow\/yarrowleavesc-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"218\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/YarrowLeavesC-300x218.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/YarrowLeavesC-300x218.jpg 300w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/YarrowLeavesC-768x558.jpg 768w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/YarrowLeavesC-150x109.jpg 150w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/YarrowLeavesC.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2020\/04\/29\/identify-yarrow\/pinkyarrowflowersc\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"284\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/PinkYarrowFlowersC-284x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/PinkYarrowFlowersC-284x300.jpg 284w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/PinkYarrowFlowersC-142x150.jpg 142w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/PinkYarrowFlowersC.jpg 568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 284px) 100vw, 284px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2020\/04\/29\/identify-yarrow\/yarrow\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Yarrow-225x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Yarrow-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Yarrow-scaled-900x1200.jpg 900w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Yarrow-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Yarrow-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Yarrow-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Yarrow-113x150.jpg 113w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Yarrow-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/2021\/04\/15\/identify-wild-carrot\/yarrowleavesc\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/YarrowLeavesC-300x300.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/YarrowLeavesC-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/YarrowLeavesC-450x450.png 450w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/YarrowLeavesC-100x100.png 100w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/YarrowLeavesC-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/YarrowLeavesC.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<h2><strong>How to Identify Yarrow<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2><strong>Scientific Name<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p><em>Achillea millefolium<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2><strong>Family<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p><em>Asteraceae<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2><strong>Also known as<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p>Yarrow or common yarrow<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2><strong>Traditional names<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p>arrowroot, bad man\u2019s plaything, bloodwort, carpenter\u2019s weed, death flower, devil\u2019s nettle, eerie, field hops, gearwe, hundred leaved grass, knight\u2019s milefoil, knyghten, milefolium, milfoil, millefoil, noble yarrow, nosebleed, old man\u2019s mustard, old man\u2019s pepper, sanguinary, seven year\u2019s love, snake\u2019s grass, soldier, soldier\u2019s woundwort, stanchweed, thousand seal, woundwort, yarroway, yerw.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The English name yarrow comes from the Saxon (Old English) word gearwe, which is related to both the Dutch word gerw and the Old High German word garawa.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2><strong>Habitat<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p>Yarrow grows practically everywhere apart from Antarctica. It likes dry soils, meadows and clearings, often found along path-sides. Can grow from 1 to 3 feet tall.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2><strong>Description<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p>It has distinct feathery leaves and can remain hidden amongst long grass until you look closely. The leaves are alternate. The name \u2018millefollium\u2019 referring to its many leaves. It flowers from early summer to early autumn and has a composite flower head with 5 ray flowers and 10-30 disc flowers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2><strong>Identifying Features<\/strong>:<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2><em>Leaves<\/em><\/h2>\r\n<p>Evenly distributed along the stem, with the leaves near the middle and bottom of the stem being the largest. The leaves have varying degrees of hairiness (pubescence). The leaves are 5\u201320 cm (2.0\u20137.9 in) long, bipinnate or tripinnate, almost feathery, and arranged spirally on the stems. The leaves are cauline, and more or less clasping.<\/p>\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-30998\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Yarrow-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Yarrow-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Yarrow-scaled-900x1200.jpg 900w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Yarrow-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Yarrow-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Yarrow-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Yarrow-113x150.jpg 113w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Yarrow-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2><em>Flowers<\/em><\/h2>\r\n<p>Have 4 to 9 phyllaries and contains ray and disk flowers which are white to pink. The generally 3 to 8 ray flowers are ovate to round. Disk flowers range from 15 to 40. The inflorescence is produced in a flat-topped capitulum cluster and the inflorescences are visited by many insects, featuring a generalized pollination system.<\/p>\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-30999\" src=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/PinkYarrowFlowersC-284x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"284\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/PinkYarrowFlowersC-284x300.jpg 284w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/PinkYarrowFlowersC-142x150.jpg 142w, https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/PinkYarrowFlowersC.jpg 568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 284px) 100vw, 284px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2><em>Fruits<\/em><\/h2>\r\n<p>The small achene-like fruits are called cypsela.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Uses\/Preparations<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Food<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p>Leaves \u2013 raw or cooked. A rather bitter flavour, they make an acceptable addition to mixed salads and are best used when young. The leaves are also used as a hop substitute for flavouring and as a preservative for beer etc. An aromatic tea is made from flowers and leaves. Essential oil from the flowering heads is used as a flavouring for soft drinks.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Medicine<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Plant taste<\/strong>: Bitter, pungent, aromatic.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Plant energetics<\/strong>: Harmonising.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Parts used<\/strong>: Flowers, leaves, roots.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Plant properties<\/strong>: Astringent, relaxing diaphoretic, antiseptic, diuretic, anodyne.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Plant preparations<\/strong>: Tea, tincture, smudge, poultice.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Used for<\/strong>: Fevers, bleeding, wounds, infections, UTIs, fibroids, varicose veins, hemorrhoids.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Tea<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Infuse 1 tsp (leaves and flowers can be used) in 8 ounces of water for 20-30 minutes. Drink 3-9 grams per day.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Tincture<\/strong> \u2013 Fresh leaves and flowers, 1:2 ratio, 95% alcohol. Take 2-5 ml per day. If using dried, use a 1:5 ratio with 40% alcohol. Same dosage.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Sitz bath<\/strong> \u2013 Dried whole plant. Use 4 ounces per gallon of water and infuse for 30 minutes, then add to sitz bathwater.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Poultice<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Yarrow makes a great fresh plant poultice to stop bleeding, wounds and relieve bruising.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Hazards<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p>Yarrow has not been proved safe for use in pregnancy and lactation so caution is advised. Some people who are sensitive to the Aster family may have a mild allergic reaction. In rare cases, yarrow can cause severe allergic skin rashes; prolonged use can increase the skin\u2019s photosensitivity. This can be triggered initially when wet skin comes into contact with cut grass and yarrow together.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>According to the ASPCA, yarrow is toxic to dogs, cats, and horses, causing vomiting, diarrhea, depression, anorexia, and hypersalivation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>In a standard rodent model for reproductive toxicity, aqueous extracts of yarrow produced a significant increase in the percentage of abnormal sperm.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Harvesting<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p>The leaves seem to be available most of the year-round, tender leaves appearing in early spring. It flowers from June to August and the seeds are usually available from July to September.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Potential lookalikes<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p>I have heard it said that you could confuse Yarrow with Wild Carrot, or Hemlock. However, I find that hard to believe. Learn to recognize the characteristics and you\u2019ll be fine. For one thing, <strong>Daucus corota<\/strong>\u00a0(Wild Carrot) does have vaguely similar leaves, but smells of carrot when crushed, and is edible anyway, and for another\u00a0<strong>Conium maculatum<\/strong>\u00a0(Hemlock) absolutely stinks and you\u2019d be daft to put anything that smells like that in your mouth!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Folklore<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Hatfield Botanic Pharmacopeia speaking of Yarrow in 1886<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 \u201cit is indeed difficult to say in what complaints it may not with advantage receive employment. It is one of the common wayside herbs, and as useful and well adapted for recourse in almost any emergency where medicines are not at hand, as it is common.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>\r\n<p>In the Hebrides, a leaf held against the eyes was believed to give second sight. [1]\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>\r\n<p>In China, the stalks are dried and used as a randomizing agent in I Ching divination. [2]\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>\r\n<p>In Greek folklore, Homer tells of the centaur Chiron, who conveyed herbal secrets to his human pupils, and taught Achilles to use yarrow on the battlegrounds of Troy. [3]\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>This herb is named after the great Greek hero named Achilles who fought in the battle of Troy.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>Achilles was the son of the goddess Thetis and the mortal Peleus and was born a mortal. In an attempt to make her son immortal, Thetis dipped him into the River Styx. The only body part that remained mortal and vulnerable was his heel as his mother had held Achilles by one heel. Achilles grew up to be a famous hero and in the Battle of Troy Achilles used the herb Yarrow to heal his wounded soldiers. Achilles eventually was struck by an arrow on the only vulnerable spot on his body; his heel and he died.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>\r\n<p>In Egtved, Denmark they found a grave dating back to the Bronze Age. In the grave they found the remains of a woman about 20 years old. Buried along with the woman they discovered some jewelry and a yarrow plant. Yarrow followed the woman to protect her from evil spirits on her journey to the next world.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>\r\n<p>In many parts of Europe yarrow was believed to protect against all evil.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>\r\n<p>In Wales, the opposite was claimed. There it was told that bringing yarrow into the home was extremely unlucky. In some areas of Wales, it was even called \u201cthe death flower\u201d.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>\r\n<p>In Ireland, yarrow was considered auspicious. Many used to hang yarrow around their house on midsummer night\u2019s eve to protect the household from disease in the coming year.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>\r\n<p>In Scotland, it was also a lucky plant. In old superstition, they too claimed yarrow protected against malicious forces and used it as an amulet.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Yarrow \/ spring \/ summer \/ autumn \/ winter \/ edible &nbsp; How to Identify Yarrow Scientific Name Achillea millefolium Family Asteraceae Also known as Yarrow or common yarrow Traditional names arrowroot, bad man\u2019s plaything, bloodwort, carpenter\u2019s weed, death flower, devil\u2019s nettle, eerie, field hops, gearwe, hundred leaved grass, knight\u2019s&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":30999,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[101,86],"tags":[612,613,239,104,238,122,182],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14399"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14399"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14399\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31002,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14399\/revisions\/31002"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30999"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14399"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14399"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totallywilduk.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14399"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}