Yarrow

Description

This hardy perennial herbaceous plant, very widespread and well known, is called milfoil because it has fringed leaves, like lace, which grow directly from a rigid, unbranched stem, at the top of which open, in summer, the small flowers with their acrid scent.

Stem

Erect, angular and hollow, the stem of Achillea millefolium can reach almost half a metre in height; in other varieties it may be creeping and suited to rock gardens, or taller than a metre and perfect as a backdrop in a mixed border. Long considered sacred, yarrow stalks were used in China to consult the Book of Changes (the famous I Ching): the stalks were thrown into the air and the answer was interpreted according to how they lay when they touched the ground.

Leaves

Of a beautiful grey-green colour, pleasantly aromatic, rich in vitamins and mineral salts, yarrow leaves resemble those of ferns in their pattern. A few fresh leaves, chopped and added to the compost heap, considerably speed up its maturing.

Flowers

In summer common yarrow bears small white flowers, of an opaque white, sometimes tinged with pink, gathered in umbels at the tops of the stems and with a typical, pungent scent. Other varieties of yarrow are grown for the beauty of their yellow or red flower heads, which are always suitable for cutting and drying.

Exposure

Yarrow loves the sun, but also tolerates a position in half shade, provided the soil is well drained.

Propagation

Yarrow loves the sun, but also tolerates a position in half shade, provided the soil is well drained.

Growth

This sturdy herbaceous plant does not need much care: one need only bear in mind that it wants about thirty centimetres of soil around the clump, and that only if the faded tops are removed will there be a second flowering. Yarrow also grows in pots, but only if they are kept outdoors.

Harvesting

The best time for harvesting is high summer, when both the leaves and the flowers begin to dry: these should be picked precisely when the sun is scorching and their aromatic and therapeutic power is at its peak.

Storage

Once dried in the shade, yarrow leaves and flowers are stored in airtight boxes or jars.

Properties

IN THE KITCHEN: Those who appreciate its slightly bitter, spicy flavour can chop the young leaves into salads or over fresh cheeses.

Beauty

Yarrow counteracts the skin's tendency to redden and couperose; to obtain a toner with these properties, leave yarrow flowers and leaves to infuse for half an hour in half a litre of water, soak a piece of gauze in the infusion and then apply it to the skin of the face for a quarter of an hour.

Health

A medicinal herb par excellence, yarrow is particularly effective in relieving women’s complaints: a yarrow tea (a teaspoon of the herb in a cup of boiling water) taken every morning regulates the menstrual cycle and eases the discomforts of the menopause. Milfoil also has undisputed purifying, stimulant and haemostatic properties: the fresh juice of the plant applied to wounds acts as a disinfectant and stops bleeding, but since it can cause allergic reactions it is best first to apply it to a small area and observe the effect.

Curiosity

Through certain substances secreted by its roots, this beneficial herb increases the resistance to disease of the plants around it, so it is worth planting it here and there in the garden and the vegetable plot. Anyone who can gather a good quantity of it to make a concentrated infusion for watering will have a good natural fertiliser at hand. In the past, farmers used to wrap the handles of their tools with yarrow stalks so as always to have it within reach in case of insect stings or small wounds while working.