Achillea millefolium
| Achillea millefolium | |
 | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 2 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Life Cycle: | Perennial |
| Height: | 2' |
| Width: | 2' |
| Blooms: | Early Summer-Late Summer |
| Meadows | |
| Native to: | |
| Shelter | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
Achillea millefolium (common name: yarrow) is a flowering perennial forb that is an important nectar source for many insects.[1] Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus.[2]
Propagation: Seed - sow spring or early autumn in a cold frame[3]. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 months[3]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.
Division in spring or autumn. Very easy, the divisions can be planted direct into their permanent positions. Divisions succeed at any time of the year.
Basal cuttings of new shoots in spring. Very easy, collect the shoots when they are about 10cm tall, potting them up individually in pots and keeping them in a warm but lightly shaded position. They should root within 3 weeks and will be ready to plant out in the summer.
Cultivation: Succeeds in most soils and situations but prefers a well-drained soil in a sunny position[4][5]. Shade tolerant[6]. Plants live longer when grown in a poor soil[2] and also do well on lime[7]. Established plants are very drought tolerant[2], they can show distress in very severe droughts but usually recover[8]. It remains green after grass has turned brown in a drought[9]. Plants succeed in maritime gardens[10]. The plant has a very spreading root system and is usually quite invasive[10][K].
A very hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to about -25°c[9].
Yarrow is an excellent plant for growing in lawns, meadows, orchards etc., it is tolerant of repeated close cutting and of being walked on[11][12]. It works to improve the soil fertility[11][12]. A very good companion plant, it improves the health of plants growing nearby and enhances their essential oil content thus making them more resistant to insect predations[5][13][11][14].
There are some named forms, selected for their ornamental value[15][16]. 'Pink' (syn. 'Rosea') has very aromatic foliage and deep pink flowers[15].
Range: Europe, including Britain, north to 71°, and east to western Asia.
Habitat: Meadows, pastures, lawns etc. on all but the poorest soils[17].
Edibility: Leaves - raw or cooked[18][19][20][21]. A rather bitter flavour, they make an acceptable addition to mixed salads and are best used when young[22][15][K]. The leaves are also used as a hop-substitute for flavouring and as a preservative for beer etc[23][22][14][15]. Although in general yarrow is a very nutritious and beneficial plant to add to the diet, some caution should be exercised[K]. See the notes above on possible toxicity.
An aromatic tea is made from the flowers and leaves[15].
An essential oil from the flowering heads is used as a flavouring for soft drinks[15].
Medicinal: Yarrow has a high reputation and is widely employed in herbal medicine, administered both internally and externally. It is used in the treatment of a very wide range of disorders but is particularly valuable for treating wounds, stopping the flow of blood, treating colds, fevers, kidney diseases, menstrual pain etc[24][16][25][26]. The whole plant is used, both fresh and dried, and is best harvested when in flower[27]. Some caution should be exercised in the use of this herb since large or frequent doses taken over a long period may be potentially harmful[27], causing allergic rashes and making the skin more sensitive to sunlight[16]. The herb combines well with Sambucus nigra flowers (Elder) and Mentha x piperita vulgaris (Peppermint) for treating colds and influenza[28].
The herb is antiseptic, antispasmodic, mildly aromatic, astringent, carminative, cholagogue, diaphoretic, digestive, emmenagogue, odontalgic, stimulant, bitter tonic, vasodilator and vulnerary[18][22][5][29][12][30][31][32][16][33][25]. It also contains the anti-inflammatory agent azulene, though the content of this varies even between plants in the same habitat[16]. The herb is harvested in the summer when in flower and can be dried for later use[18].
The fresh leaf can be applied direct to an aching tooth in order to relieve the pain[28].
Usage: The growing plant repels beetles, ants and flies[5][34][32]. The plant has been burnt in order to ward off mosquitoes[26].
A liquid plant feed can be made from the leaves[12]. You fill a container with the leaves and then add some water. Leave it to soak for a week or two and then dilute the rather smelly dark liquid, perhaps 10 - 1 with water though this figure is not crucial[K].
This plant is an essential ingredient of 'Quick Return' herbal compost activator[35]. This is a dried and powdered mixture of several herbs that can be added to a compost heap in order to speed up bacterial activity and thus shorten the time needed to make the compost[K].
The fragrant seeds have been used to impart a pleasant smell indoors[26].
An essential oil obtained from the leaves is used medicinally[17][20][36]. The leaves contain from 0.6 to 0.85% essential oil[33].
The leaves have been used as a cosmetic cleanser for greasy skin[28].
Yellow and green dyes are obtained from the flowers[37].
A good ground cover plant, spreading quickly by its roots[7].
Pollinators: Insects
Notes: An excellent plant for growing in grass, the leaves are very nutritious and health-promoting.
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Wind: Tolerates maritime wind exposure
Seed Ripens: Mid Summer-Early Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: Extended use of this plant, either medicinally or in the diet, can cause allergic skin rashes or lead to photosensitivity in some people[29][16].
Also Known As: A. lanulosa.
Links
References
- ↑ Baines, Chris. Making a Wildlife Garden.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Rice, Graham. Growing from Seed Volume 1. Thompson and Morgan, 1987.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Hylton, Josie and William Holtom. Complete Guide to Herbs. Rodale Press, 1979.
- ↑ Triska, Jan. Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn, 1975.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Thomas, Graham. Plants for Ground Cover. Everyman, 1990.
- ↑ Chatto, Beth. The Damp Garden. Dent, 1982.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Perennials - The Definitve Reference. Pan Books, 1991.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Thomas, Graham. Perennial Garden Plants. J. M. Dent & Sons, 1990.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Riotte, Louise. Carrots Love Tomatoes. Garden Way, 1978.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Hatfield, Audrey. How to Enjoy your Weeds. Frederick Muller Ltd, 1974.
- ↑ Philbrick, Helen and Richard Gregg. Companion Plants. Watkins, 1979.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 de Bray, Lys. The Wild Garden.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 Bown, Deni. Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ Mabey, Richard. Food for Free. Collins, 1974.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ Larkcom, Joy. Salads all the Year Round. Hamlyn, 1980.
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 Launert, Edmund. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn, 1981.
- ↑ Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
- ↑ Duke, James and Edward Ayensu. Medicinal Plants of China. Reference Publications, 1985.
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 Chevallier, Andrew. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. Dorling Kindersley, 1996.
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 Foster, Steven and Billy Tatum. Medicinal Plants of Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin, 1990.
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 Stuart, Malcolm. The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism. Orbis Publishing, 1979.
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 Lust, John. The Herb Book. Bantam Books, 1983.
- ↑ Singh, Gurcharan and Premnath Kachroo. Forest Flora of Srinagar. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, 1976.
- ↑ Mills, Simon. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 Schofield, Janice. Discovering Wild Plants.
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 Chopra, R. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1986.
- ↑ Turner, Nancy. Plants in British Columbian Indian Technology. British Columbia Provincial Museum, 1979.
- ↑ Bruce, Maye. Commonsense Compost Making. Faber, 1977.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Grae, Ida. Nature's Colors. MacMillan Publishing, 1974.