Yarrow, and Days of Yore

If you've never grown yarrow in your garden, you really should try it this year. I like to grow it even though it's not much use as a culinary herb. I enjoy the golden yellow flowers that mine produces, adding color to a sometimes drab garden. Yarrow also comes in pinks and white. I think this year I'll plant a pink variety.

Why do I plant it? Well, years ago, a friend gave me a start and it seemed easy to grow. Then I read about how it could amazingly stop bleeding very quickly. The article went on to say that it was a gardener's friend, because if you had sharp clippers, it was very easy to carelessly clip a finger while pruning and weeding. Wouldn't you know it, right after reading that, I did just what was written about. And I cut my thumb deeply. I calmly walked over to the outdoor faucet and rinsed my cut, dried it on a clean paper towel that was handy, and then wrapped some yarrow leaves around my thumb. It had been bleeding profusely, and I was a little worried, but I tried to stay cool about the situation. After firmly pressing the leaves on the cut area for several minutes, I noticed that they seemed to be stuck on; the leaves had just dried right to my skin. I left it on for a long time and then later carefully peeled it back to replace it with a Bandaid. How strange! The cut was sealed up, like it had been glued. It still hurt down inside but it really didn't look like a cut, just a thin line on the surface.

During the next week, I kept it dry. I could tell that it was healing from the inside out, but the seal held tight as if I had had stitches. A few days later, I went to a scheduled doctor's appointment for a routine physical, and I showed the cut to her. She had never heard of the properties of yarrow and was very impressed. Most doctors aren't trained in the use of herbs so she was excited about researching it for herself. Weeks later I noticed I didn't even have a scar.

The botanical name for yarrow is Achillea Millefolium and it is said to have been named for the Greek warrior Achilles. He knew of it's healing properties, and used it to heal the many wounded soldiers of the Trojan War.

The French call yarrow herbe au charpentier since carpenters used it after cutting themselves on their sharp tools.

Remember, if you have sprayed chemicals on your plants, which I hope you don't ever do in an herb garden, the chemicals could be absorbed into your cut. Then I say go straight to the Bandaids or to a doctor for stitches. Be careful with your gardening tools. I want you to be safe in your garden, but in case of a cut don't forget about yarrow. And please get a tetanus shot if you haven't had one in the last 10 years! You never know when there are rusty nails hiding in the dirt. And they might have been there since "Days of Yore."


Gardens are not made by singing, "Oh, how beautiful," and sitting in the shade. Rudyard Kipling