Yarrow Achillea millefolium

Botanical Information

Common Names: Yarrow, Soldier’s Woundwort, Milfoil, Thousand-Leaf

Folk Names: Herba Militaris, Bloodwort, Knight’s Milfoil, Death Flower

Botanical Name: Achillea millefolium

Family: Asteraceae

Description: A feathery, aromatic perennial with finely divided leaves (“thousand leaf”), flat-topped clusters of white or pink florets, and a strong medicinal scent.

History & Tradition

• Named for Achilles, who carried Yarrow to treat battlefield wounds.
• Used in European folk medicine for bleeding, fever, and protection.
• Employed as a divinatory herb for reading energies, weather, and omens.
• Used in Chinese I Ching divination (yarrow stalk method).

Mrs. M. Grieve notes: A powerful astringent, tonic, and vulnerary useful for fevers, wound healing, and menstrual regulation.

Cultivation & Parts Used

Parts Used: Aerial parts (leaves + flowering tops).

Growing Conditions: Thrives in full sun, dry soils, meadows, and disturbed ground. Hardy and drought tolerant.

Collection: Harvest aerial parts in full bloom; leaves earlier in the season for strongest aromatics.

Doctrine of Signatures

The finely divided leaves signify its ability to “cut” through stagnation and staunch bleeding. The flat white umbels resemble shields or healing cloths—mirroring its protective and wound-mending nature. Its strong aroma signals its power to clear infections and move stagnation.

Medicinal & Energetic Properties

Constituents

Volatile oils (camphor, cineole, azulene), flavonoids, tannins, bitters, sesquiterpene lactones, salicylic acid.

Actions

Styptic • Astringent • Diaphoretic • Anti-inflammatory • Vulnerary • Bitter tonic • Antimicrobial • Emmenagogue • Circulatory mover.

Taste & Energetics

Taste: Bitter, aromatic, slightly pungent

Energetics: Warming • Drying • Moving

Tissue States: Cold • Damp • Stagnant

Internal Uses

Fevers (promotes sweating), digestive stagnation, menstrual imbalance, internal bleeding (mild), infections, circulatory stagnation.

Topical Uses

Wounds, cuts, bruises, nosebleeds, bruising, inflamed skin, infections.

Combinations

• With Elderflower — for fevers.
• With Plantain — for wounds and bites.
• With Ginger — for cold digestive stagnation.
• With Chamomile — for inflammation and soothing heat.

Homeopathic Remedy

Achillea millefolium — bleeding, varicosities, pelvic congestion.

Flower Essence

Creates energetic protection, especially for empaths or those easily overwhelmed.

Essential Oil

Deep blue from chamazulene; anti-inflammatory; used sparingly.

Culinary Use

Young leaves once used in spring tonics, soups, and country wines. Strong flavor—use lightly.

Safety Notes

• Avoid in pregnancy (emmenagogue).
• May cause allergies in Asteraceae-sensitive individuals.
• Avoid long-term high doses; can become overly drying.

Spiritual & Ritual Uses

Protection, divination, psychic shielding, courage, and clarity in battle (literal or symbolic).

Astroherbalism

Planetary Rulership: Venus (healing) + Mars (battle, blood) + Mercury (divination)

Zodiac: Aries, Virgo, Libra

Signature: Harmonizes opposite forces; heals and protects; moves stagnation.

Chakra Correspondence

Solar Plexus + Root: Protection, discernment, boundary clarity.

Cosmic Ray

Red-White Ray: Purification, protection, structured action.

Alchemy & Spagyric Processing

Salt (Body): Mineral structure reinforcing tissue repair.

Sulfur (Soul): Aromatics that “cut” through stagnation and defend the field.

Mercury (Spirit): Harmonizing energies of healing + protection.

Spagyric Purpose: Boundary strengthening; healing wounds; balancing heat and cold; spiritual protection.

Tarot Correspondence

Rider–Waite–Smith Resonance: Strength (VIII), Justice (XI), and the Ace of Swords.

Keywords: Protection • Healing • Boundaries • Clarity • Courage • Movement