Hello from the mountains of Kentucky! I hope each of you had an amazing Christmas. We had a wonderful Christmas on the homestead with family and friends. God is good. Anyone that knows me knows that when Christmas is over… I start counting down the days till spring. I know, we shouldn’t wish our time away. I keep reminding myself of this. Take each day, savor it, as it is gift we never get back. However, I still get excited to see how many days till planting time! As of today, 78 days till calendar spring!
That being said, I am excited to bring another of my favorite herbs to you today. Last year, I completed the courses to finally earn my herbalism certification. During my studies, I learned about the common wild plant, yarrow.
Achillea millefolium, more commonly known as yarrow is a perennial herb that is a member of the daisy family. It is found in growing in the wild and sometimes will in your yard as birds carry the seeds far and wide. It grows up to three and a half feet tall. The leaves are dark green, fern like, but yarrow is more feathery. See above picture. It has been used for centuries for nose bleeds, minor cuts, thus becoming known in son areas as the nose-bleed plant. The blooms are more commonly white with tiny yellow centers. Some yarrow blooms are yellow in color. We grow both and both are beautiful in flower beds and landscaping. Both are equal in quality.
Yarrow leaves are safe to mix in salads and are quite tasty. The leaves can also be dried for teas. Yarrow is considered to be a safe herb, however it is not advised to ingest large amounts of yarrow on a regular basis as yarrow contains thujone, which can be toxic if consumed on a regular basis in large quantities.
Yarrow is versatile and very useful as a topical herb. It can be used in topical oils, salves, or even just by picking the leaves and crushing them or chewing them to apply to a wound to help slow and even stop bleeding. As always seek medical attention for wounds that might require stitches.
Drying yarrow is not difficult. I dry it during the summer and fall. You may dry the blooms and the leaves for external use. Stay with the leaves for internal. I dry it in small batches by cutting it in the early morning hours while the air is cool. Rinse the leaves and pat them dry. Place the leaves and or blooms on a white cloth or paper towel and spread them out to allow air to circulate. Place them out of direct sunlight and allow to dry until the leaves are crumbly. Once dried the herb can be stored in a glass container away from the light to be used as needed.
Dried yarrow can be added to jojoba oil or fractionated coconut oil for an external oil to help heal wounds. I add a couple of heaping tbs of the dried herb to a half pint jar of either organic extra virgin olive oil, fractionated coconut oil, or jojoba oil. I prefer to use amber colored glass if possible. I allow the dried herb to stay in the oil of choice for two to three weeks in a dark cabinet. I then strain the oil into either a small spray bottle or dropper bottle, which makes it easier to carry with me. This oil is great for helping to heal scrapes, minor cuts, sooth burns, as a rinse for mouth sores, and other small abrasions.
I also like to add the oil to equal parts of shay and cocoa butter to make a slave that absorbs through the skin and can carried in small containers for emergencies. I will post this recipe and details of how to make the salve in an upcoming post.
I hope you have enjoyed reading about how we use yarrow. Feel free to comment, like, or subscribe. God bless each of you. Happy New Year, from the mountains of Kentucky!
A Healthier Me...Homesteading Simple & Clean 