How to Use Yarrow Medicinally
As far as weeds go, yarrow is definitely one you want growing in your garden. It’s a powerhouse of a plant, packed with medicinal properties to help cure everything from fevers and colds to bleeding, bruises and everything in between.
Yarrow grows wild all over the northern hemisphere and can survive in all sorts of different climates and habitats, including meadows, forests, mountains, coastal areas and even some deserts.
Yarrow was first introduced to North America in colonial times by settlers coming from Europe. It now grows wild all over North America and has been used and revered as a medicinal plant by settlers and First Nations peoples alike ever since it was established here.
But yarrow’s use as a potent medicinal plant dates back much further than that. In fact, according to a National Geographic article, Neanderthals used yarrow along with other medicinal plants some 50,000+ years ago!
In more recent “ancient” times, famous Greek hero Achilles was said to have used yarrow to treat his and his soldiers’ battle wounds during the Trojan war. In fact, yarrow’s official, scientific, Latin name is “Achillea Millefolium” which is derived from “Achilles.”
Legend has it that Achilles even covered his whole body with a yarrow tincture to protect him from harm… But he missed his heel, which was left exposed and vulnerable. This could perhaps be how the “Achilles’ Heel” became such an infamous metaphor for vulnerability and weakness.
Yarrow is still used today as a powerful medicinal plant. Although it’s considered an invasive weed by some, anyone who understands just how amazing this plant is knows better than to try to eradicate it.
So if you have yarrow growing in your yard or in the wild near you, consider yourself lucky! Do not try to get rid of it. Instead, harvest it for your home apothecary and use it to prevent and cure all sorts of ailments.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, naturopath, certified herbalist or medical professional. The information in this article is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Please consult a physician or trusted healthcare provider before taking yarrow. For more information on potential yarrow contraindications, please read the section on “Who Should Not Use Yarrow” (below).
Identifying Yarrow
The leaves of a yarrow plant are quite distinct, resembling feathers more closely than other types of leaves.
Yarrow is pretty easy to identify, especially once you’ve seen it up close a couple times. The plant itself usually grows to about 1 to 3 feet tall but can grow taller. The flowers are typically white but can be pale yellow. They’re small and grow in clusters at the tip of each stem.
The leaves of the yarrow plant are perhaps the most distinct feature. They resemble feathers and look very different than leaves from most other plants. They also grow in an alternating pattern, so instead of having two leaves growing from either side of the stem, you’ll see one leaf, and then a bit higher up there will be another leaf growing on the other side of the stem, and then a bit higher up will be another, and so on.
Left: Queen Anne’s Lace / Right: Yarrow
Yarrow could possibly be confused with Queen Anne’s Lace or (more dangerously) Poison Hemlock if you don’t know what to look for. But once you’ve seen yarrow once, you almost certainly won’t forget it and it will be easy to distinguish from other plants.
For a more in-depth comparison of Yarrow, Queen Anne’s Lace and Poison Hemlock, check out this video.
To harvest yarrow, cut the stem near the base (or anywhere along the stem). The leaves and stem are medicinal as well as the flowers, so you really want to harvest as much of the plant as possible.
Yarrow Medicinal Benefits
Yarrow is a potent medicinal herb that can be used to treat the following illnesses and ailments:
- Wounds, cuts and scrapes
- Bruises
- Burns
- Rashes
- Inflammation
- Bug bites and bee stings
- Fever
- Cough and cold
- Toothaches and teething
- Menstrual cramps
- Detoxification and regulating blood flow
- Acne and skin irritations
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Indigestion & heartburn
- Muscle spasms
Yarrow is best known for its ability to stop bleeding and heal skin wounds. Historically, the leaves are chewed up and then used as a poultice on top of wounds to help stop bleeding.
If you’d rather not chew your yarrow, you can add a tiny bit of water and mash up the leaves and flowers as well with a mortar and pestle and then apply the paste to the wound. We did this at home when my husband had a deep cut on his hand that wouldn’t heal. We covered the cut with yarrow and secured it with a bandage. Within a day the wound was almost completely healed! That’s when I started becoming a true believer in the power of medicinal herbs.
Yarrow can also be taken as a tea to help fight colds and fevers, and to help detoxify the body. It can be chewed fresh or dry to relieve toothache and can be infused in oil or extracted in alcohol to make solutions that can be rubbed on the body to relieve bruises, burns, rashes and bug bites. It can also be taken orally as a homemade cold medication.
You can also sprinkle fresh or dried yarrow in a bath to ease rashes and burns and help fight fever.
Related: Homemade Elderberry Syrup Recipe
Who should NOT use Yarrow
While yarrow can be used to help treat all sorts of minor ailments, you should not use yarrow if you are pregnant as yarrow is a uterine tonic, which means it has the ability to relax the uterus, which may lead to miscarriage.
Yarrow may also negatively interact with blood-thinning medications, medications for high blood pressure, medications to reduce stomach acid and drugs that induce sleep.
Finally, if you are allergic to any plants in the Aster family (including daisies, chrysanthemums and ragweed), you may also find you are allergic to yarrow and may want to avoid it.
For more information on the medicinal benefits and precautions of yarrow, click here to visit the Mount Sinai Yarrow Information Page.
Adding Yarrow to Your Medicine Cabinet
How to Dry Yarrow
The easiest way to preserve yarrow is to dry it. Just like any other herb, yarrow can be dried by hanging it upside down in bunches from the stems. I just tie a bunch together with some twine or an elastic band and hang it from a hook in my kitchen. You can hang it outdoors to dry as well, but try not to hang it in direct sunlight or anywhere where it might get wet. It should take up to a couple weeks to dry completely.
Once dried, I chop it roughly and keep it in a Mason jar for use later on. Dried yarrow can be used as a tea, dumped into a bath or can be used to make tinctures and tonics later on.
Related: What to Stock In A Home Apothecary
Make a Tincture
Another way I preserve fresh yarrow is I make a tincture. A tincture is simply an extract made by stuffing a jar full of whatever plant you are wanting to extract the properties of, and then covering it with a neutral alcohol like vodka. You can also use glycerin to make tinctures for children or if you prefer not to use alcohol.
You can make a yarrow tincture with fresh or dried herbs. Simply pack a Mason jar about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full with yarrow and cover completely with vodka (or glycerin).
Make sure that the yarrow is completely covered with liquid as any plant matter that’s exposed to air can mold. If you’re having trouble keeping the yarrow submerged in the alcohol, you could use a smaller glass jar, a jar weight or even a clean rock to help push the yarrow beneath the surface.
Store the yarrow tincture in a cool, dark place for at least 6 weeks before using, shaking the jar intermittently every 2 or 3 days to help infuse it. After about 6 weeks, remove the plant matter by straining the liquid into a a clean glass jar (I like using these dark glass dropper bottles).
Yarrow tincture can be taken orally as a cough, cold and fever medication at first signs of illness. Dosages may vary so always start with a low dose of 1 or 2 drops, especially if using on children.
The tincture can also be applied to the gums of teething babies and can even be used as facial astringent, especially if you’re suffering from acne since yarrow contains salicylic acid (an active ingredient in most over-the-counter acne medications). Just put some on a cotton ball and wipe over the affected area.
Make a Salve or Infusion
You can also infuse dried yarrow in oil and then use that oil to make a salve.
To go the quick and easy route, heat about 1/2 a cup of dried yarrow with about 1 cup of coconut oil on low heat on the stove. Mix together and let simmer for at least 20 minutes to to allow the yarrow to infuse the coconut oil.
Strain the infused coconut oil into a clean jar or container and let cool. Apply to wounds, burns, rashes, bruises, bug bites, etc. It can also be rubbed on gums of teething babies in lieu of alcohol-based tinctures.
To make a salve, you can infuse oil the same way as explained above, or by placing dried yarrow and oil in a jar and allowing it to sit and infuse for about 4 to 6 weeks before using the infused oil to make a salve. When making infused oils to use in salves and other body products, use a liquid oil like olive oil, sweet almond oil or avocado oil.
Related: DIY Dandelion Healing Salve
Once your oil has been infused with the yarrow, strain the oil, discard the plant matter and melt about 1 oz of beeswax (pellets or shavings) for every cup of infused oil you’re using. Melt beeswax in a double boiler on low on your stovetop and then mix in infused oil. Once well blended, pour the mixture into small jars or containers and let cool for at least 24 hours before use. I like to use these glass jars or aluminum tins for my salves.
The finished salve can be applied to wounds, burns, rashes, bruises, cuts, scrapes, bug bites or bee stings whenever you need it. It also make a great gift!
Yarrow the Wonder Weed
Yarrow is truly an incredible medicinal plant and probably has even more uses than listed above. I’m sure if you dig deep into the annals of history, you’ll find entire books written about yarrow and its incredible medicinal properties.
If you’re lucky enough to find it growing in your backyard, be sure to add it to your home medicine cabinet. And if not, then add it to your garden! You can purchase yarrow seeds here.
Yarrow is also a perennial, so you only need to plant once and it will come back year after year.
So, what are you waiting for? Plant or forage some wild yarrow this year and add this incredible healing plant to your home medicine cabinet.
Wishing you homemade, homegrown, homestead happiness 🙂
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I’m all about practical gifts; Gifts that will truly make life easier and contribute to my and my family’s wellbeing. And our family includes our animals!
One of the ways we make sure our chickens are taken care of is by letting them free range during the day, but making sure they’re locked up and safe from predators at night. But who wants to be up at the crack of dawn to open the coop, or wake up to a bloodbath because you forgot to close the coop the night before?
(The answer is obviously no one… No one wants that).
Automating our homesteading tasks as much as possible allows us to worry about other things and saves us a ton of time. Plus, it makes sure that things get taken care of, whether we remember or not.
Using an automatic chicken door has been a GAME CHANGER for us. It’s one of those lesser known homestead tools that can make all the difference, and I’m always recommending one to anyone who keeps chickens!
This chicken door from @chickcozy_ is so easy to install and use too, and right now you can get one for a steal during their Black Friday sale!
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Yes, you read that right…
Modern Homesteading Magazine is coming to an end.
This decision has not come easily, but there’s a season for everything, and more and more I’m feeling called to transition out of this season and into the next in both life and business.
And so this final farewell issue is bittersweet. On the one hand, it’s the first ever annual issue, with 100 pages packed with brand new content that celebrates the best of the past 32 issues!
And it’s the first issue I’ve ever offered in PRINT!
But on the other hand, it marks the end of an era, and of this publication that I’ve absolutely had the pleasure of creating and sharing with you.
If you’re a digital subscriber, you will not be charged a renewal fee going forward, and will continue to have access to the digital library until your subscription runs out. As part of your subscription, you’re able to download and/or print each issue of you like, so that you never lose access to the hundreds of articles and vast amount of information in each issue.
Rather than subscribing, you can now purchase an all-access pass for a one-time fee of just $20, which gives you access to our entire digital library of issues.
Plus, for a limited time, when you purchase an all-access pass you’ll also get a gift certificate for a second all-access pass to gift to someone else.
I’m also still taking preorders for the print version of this special edition issue, but only for a few more weeks!
When you preorder the print issue, you’ll also get a digital copy of the special edition issue (this issue only), and will receive a print copy in the mail later this year (hopefully by Christmas so long as there are no shipping delays!)
Click the link in my profile or visit modernhomesteadingmagazine.com to check out the latest issue, purchase an all-access pass to the digital library and/or preorder the print issue today!
Thanks to everyone who has read the magazine over the past 4 years. I’m humbled and grateful for your support, and can’t wait to share whatever comes next:)
#modernhomesteading #homesteading #homesteadersofinstagram
It’s easy to romanticize homesteading, but the truth is that those homegrown vegetables, those freshly laid eggs, that loaf of bread rising on the counter, and that pantry full of home-canned food takes time, effort and dedication. It doesn’t “just happen” overnight!
But if you work on learning one new skill at a time and gain confidence in it before moving onto the next, one day you’ll be looking back and marvelling at how far you’ve come.
That’s where I’m at now. Life today looks a lot different than it did 10 years ago, when our homesteading and self-reliance journey was just beginning.
Back then we still lived in our city condo and were just beginning to dabble in all of this stuff. But my husband Ryan and I felt a sense urgency to start pursuing a more self-reliant lifestyle, and we committed to taking small steps, one day at a time to make that vision a reality.
Over the years we’ve continued to put one foot in front of the other, adding new skills and tackling new projects along the way that have helped us get to where we are today.
While there’s always more we want to learn and do, as I look around me right now, I’m so grateful that we took those first steps, especially considering what’s happened in the world over the past few years!
If you’re also feeling the urgency to take the first (or next) steps toward a more self-reliant life, this is your final reminder that today is the last day to join The Society of Self-Reliance and start levelling up your homesteading and self-sufficiency skills so that you’ve got what it takes to:
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If you’ve been feeling called to level up your self-reliance skills (because let’s be honest, we’re in for a wild ride these next few years with everything going on in the world), now is the time to heed that call.
Link in profile to enroll before midnight tonight, or go to thehouseandhomestead.com/society
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There are so many reasons to grow your own food at home:
💰 Saves you money at the grocery store
🍴 Healthier than conventionally grown food
🔑 increases your overall food security
🫙 Gives you an abundance to preserve and share
But perhaps the number one reason is because it just tastes better!
Not only does food taste better when it’s freshly picked or allowed to ripen on the vine, there’s something about putting in the work to grow something from a tiny seed and then getting to see it on your dinner plate that just makes it so much more satisfying than anything you’ll ever buy from the store.
Plus, having to wait all year for fresh tomatoes or strawberries or zucchinis to be in season makes that short period when they’re available just that much more exciting!
With the world spinning out of control and food prices continuing to rise, it’s no wonder more people are taking an interest in learning to grow their own food at home. But that also means changing our relationship with food and learning to appreciate the work that goes into producing it and the natural seasonality of organically grown fruits and vegetables.
(It also means learning to preserve it so you can make the most of it and enjoy homegrown food all year long).
In my online membership program, The Society of Self-Reliance, you’ll learn how to grow your own food, from seed to harvest, as well as how to preserve it so you can enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor all year long!
You’ll also learn how to grow and craft your own herbal medicine, detox your home, become your own handyman, and so much more (because self-reliance is about more than just the food that we eat… But that’s a pretty good place to start!)
The doors to the Society are now open for a limited time only. Click the link in my profile or go to thehouseandhomestead.com/society to learn more.
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If you’ve been watching events unfold over the past few years and you’re feeling called to start “cutting ties” with the system and begin reclaiming your independence, The Society of Self-Reliance was made for you!
When I first launched this online membership program last year, my goal was to create a one-stop resource where members could go to learn and practice every aspect of self-reliance, as well as a space to connect with other like-minded people pursuing the same goal. And that’s exactly what you’ll get when you join!
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn inside the Society:
🌱 Food Security and Self-Sufficiency: Learn the art of growing and preserving your own food, ensuring you and your loved ones have access to nutritious meals year-round.
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As a member, you’ll enjoy:
📚 Monthly Video Lessons: Gain access to our ever-growing library of video lessons, with fresh content added each month.
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Link in profile or visit thehouseandhomestead.com/society to learn more.
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Got out for an early morning harvest today. Been up since 3am, contemplating life, the future and the past, the order of things…
There is a rumbling right now, not just in North America, but around the world. Many of us can feel it, and know we are on the precipice of something big.
I’d been hearing about this new song that’s become an overnight viral sensation, written by an (until now) unknown singer named Oliver Anthony. His new song Rich Men North of Richmond has had 14 million views on YouTube in the past week alone, so I decided to check it out.
I also saw a clip of him playing a Farmers Market last week, and anything that has to do with Farmers Markets always has my attention;)
I can’t tell you how many tears I’ve already cried listening to that song. If you’ve heard it already, you probably know what I’m talking about, and if you haven’t, I highly recommend giving it a listen. All I can say is it’s been a while since a song resonated so deeply with me, and in this strange new world, I know I’m not the only one.
One of the lines in Anthony’s song is “Livin’ in the new world, with an old soul,” and that’s something I think so many of us in the homesteading community can relate to.
Trying to cling to better days; To a simpler time; To the old ways, all while doing our best to get by in the new world.
The world has changed drastically in the last few years especially, and it’s set to change in immense ways over the next few years. Today I’m feeling thankful for people like @oliver_anthony_music_ who give a voice to what so many are feeling right now.
Know that if you’re feeling it too, you’re far from alone. And while the future may feel uncertain and even a little scary, remember that if we stand united, we the people are a force to be reckoned with.
(Continued in comments…)
Another garlic harvest in the books!
Garlic is easily one of my favourite crops to grow. It’s pretty much a “set if and forget it” crop. We plant in the fall and leave it to overwinter, fertilize a couple times in the spring, start watering only once the ground starts to dry out, and then harvest in the summer. We can even plant a fall succession crop after our garlic if we want so it really makes great use of garden space all year round.
Over the years we’ve managed to become completely self-sufficient with garlic. We now grow enough to eat all year (and then some!), plus we save our own seed garlic and usually have extra to sell or give away. And around here fresh, organic garlic ain’t cheap, so it’s a good cash crop for anyone who’s serious about selling it.
It took me a few years to really get the hang of garlic, but it’s one crop I’m now very confident with (knock on wood, because it’s always when we make statements like this that next year’s crop fails! Lol.)
A while back I compiled a comprehensive guide to growing, harvesting and using garlic both as an edible and medicinal crop. This is usually only available as part of a paid bundle (or in the fall 2022 issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine if you’re a subscriber;), but for a limited time I’m offering it for free, no strings attached!
Plus you’ll also get access to my step-by-step video lesson on planting garlic so you can set yourself up for success with your garlic crop this year.
Comment “Garlic” below or head to thehouseandhomestead.com/garlic-guide to get your free copy!
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Going through photos and videos from our trip to the @modernhomesteadingconference and the vast majority are of our daughter having the time of her life!
Even if I personally got nothing else out of this gathering (which I most certainly did), watching her discover her own love of this lifestyle outside of what we do at home made my heart grow three sizes!
Homesteading is about so much more than homegrown food and self-reliance. It’s about passing on invaluable skills and an understanding of and respect for our connection to the land that provides for us to the next generation.
Being around so many other kids and families who are also pursuing a homesteading lifestyle helped show our little one that this is a movement that is so much bigger and greater than what our own family does on our little plot of land. This is a lifestyle worth pursuing, with a community unlike any other.
Glad to be back home and more excited than ever to involve my kids in everything we’re doing. But also, I think I speak for my whole family when I say we can’t wait to go back someday!
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If you’re simply looking for ways to save a little extra cash this summer and live well for less, here are 12 tried and tested frugal living tips for summer that you can use to save money this season without sacrificing a thing.
Head over using the link in my bio!
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/12-frugal-living-tips-summer/
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A brand new issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine just dropped!
In this issue:
🌱 How to forage and use five common edible and medicinal weeds
🏠 A sustainable, affordable alternative to traditional homes, greenhouses and more
👨👩👧👦 Tips for managing a homestead while raising a family (big or small!)
🫙 What to focus on when preserving food for true food security
🌹 How to grow and arrange your own cut flowers at home
🍓 The many ways to preserve summer berries (including 5 delicious recipes!)
💇How to make your own all-natural herbal hair care products at home
🧑🌾 Why “community sufficiency” is the new self-sufficiency
And more!
Visit modernhomesteadingmagazine.com (or click the link in my bio) to subscribe or login to the library and read the latest issue.
Plus, be sure to check out all of our past issues as well! There’s a wealth of information in our library on everything from farming and gardening to cooking and canning to herbal medicine, natural living and so much more!
*** This will be the last quarterly issue! ***
This little magazine has grown so much over the past 4 years and 32 issues, and now it’s time for another exciting evolution.
I’m excited to announce that we will be moving to an even more robust annual publication with the intention of offering the first ever print edition this fall if there is enough demand.
I’m also excited to announce the brand new Modern Homesteading Magazine blog, which is currently under construction and will be launching soon. While we will still be maintaining digital subscriptions, the blog will be accessible to all, free of charge, so that more people might benefit from the empowering and increasingly important information that we cover in each issue.
Thanks to everyone who helped make this issue happen! @homesteadingfamily @oatsandhoneyhomestead @omnivore.culture @thetaylor.leigh @doeraydesign (and more who don’t have IG pages;)
And a HUGE thank you to everyone who has subscribed over the years. Modern Homesteading Magazine would never have become what it is today without each and every one of you.
#homesteading #modernhomesteading #selfsufficiency
If you’ve ever grown your own garlic, you might have noticed the spiral-shaped shoots that suddenly pop up in the centre of the stem, usually about a month or so before the garlic bulbs themselves are ready to be harvested.
These are garlic scapes, and believe it or not- they make delicious pesto! Get the recipe through the link in my bio- https://thehouseandhomestead.com/garlic-scape-pesto/
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Get the recipe through the link in my bio.
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/chive-blossom-vinaigrette/
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I came across this article on Pinterest and I have a question. I have a few bundles of dried Yarrow from my property. Do I save the leaves, flower heads, or both? I cannot find anywhere where it specifies exactly what part to save for later use. Any info is much appreciated!!
All parts of the yarrow plant are useful – but both the flower heads and leaves are most often used 🙂
Hi Anna,
I was wondering if you could share more info about different ‘varieties’ (ie colors) of yarrow. I bought ‘strawberries and cream’ yarrow from a nursery years ago on a whim. It’s pink and was never intended to be anything but pretty. Later when I learned about yarrows medicinal properties I tried to find out if my pink yarrow was the same. I got the whole gamut from -only use wild yarrow. Different colors are poisonous- to your above response. Do you have any more specific resources on this and would you mind sharing where you got your information that pink yarrow is the same? I do have a hard time believing it’s poisonous but im taking an abundance of caution. Funnily enough I actually bought white yarrow seeds from an herbal medicine supplier and they’re almost ready to be hardened off now but I’m still interested in getting to the bottom of the whole thing. Thank you so much for any help and insight you can give!
Hi Erica – you might find the following article helpful: https://gardenerspath.com/plants/herbs/yarrow-benefits-uses/
If you scroll down to the comments, the author explains that all colours can be used interchangeably as long as they are the species Achillea millefolium.
This is a really helpful post! I have the yellow yarrow (I think called Parker’s variety) in my garden. Can I use it the same way as the wild varieties you wrote about?
Yes! Yarrow flowers may be yellow, red, pink, white, or any shade in between.
I was making the yarrow and cocnunut oil and it burnt on the stove…Is the yarrow oil still useable ? Are the healing proerties still there? Does it become toxic when burnt in oil? I dont want to discard it ubtr hope i can stilluse? Please advise
Hi Ida,
I would probably toss it:( With herbal medicine you really don’t want to burn it or overheat it because you can destroy the healing compounds with high heat. You just want to warm it slightly to help it release the oils and healing properties into the solvent (in this case the coconut oil). I know it sucks when you’ve gone through the trouble, but take it as a learning experience and try again. You have no idea how many times I’ve messed things up just to learn my lesson and get it right the next time! Lol.
Hi, I made your fast and easy way to infuse (in coconut oil), the added a little bit of beeswax so the ‘cream’ is more solid, but the result is very spotty, do you have any Idea what could cause that ? You can email me if you’d like some pictures! Thank you
Good information was shared, thanks for this.
Thanks for sharing! I’ve got yarrow growing. I will make poultice for a wound. I would also like to try the coconut oil insfusion/salve. I love plant medicine! I also have some comfrey and aloe and herbs. Let’s reconnect to the soil plants and earth!
Amen! I’m growing comfrey, mullein, mugwort and a bunch of other “new-to-me” herbs this year too. I love learning about plant medicine and how to use herbs medicinally!
Great article. Excited to learn about all it’s uses. Can you clarify leaves vs. flowers stem? Do you use the whole plant or just the leaves?
Hi Carol,
You can use the leaves, flowers and stems of the yarrow plant. I typically dry the flowers on the stems and then cut the whole thing up (flowers, leaves and stems) into smaller pieces which I then store in a Mason jar. You can then use the dried yarrow to make herbal tea, or infuse it in alcohol (like vodka) or vegetable glycerine to make a medicinal tincture. I’ve also used the dried yarrow flowers and leaves as a compress for cuts and wounds (I mix with a little water and mash it up with a mortar and pestle) and then put that on wounds for a period of time and it seems to speed the healing process. You can, of course, use yarrow fresh as well:)
What’s the difference if I just let the yarrow dry on the stem in the wild and then harvest, compared to picking at flowering stage and drying in home? Is one more potent?
Hi Desi,
If you let the flowers dry on the stalks they will go to seed. The key is to harvest them when they’re in their prime, shortly after the flowers bloom is best. Then dry them by hanging them upside down.
I plan on using my Dehydrator to dry these flowers. Is there a reason why this method is not mentioned here? Is it safe to use? I do use it to dry my herbs, fruits and some veggies.
Hi Chris,
You can absolutely use your dehydrator to dry these flowers. I find it just as easy to hang flowers and herbs to dry and tend to use my dehydrator more for fruits and veggies but there’s absolutely no reason why you couldn’t use it to dry yarrow flowers (or any other flowers for that matter:).
Crazy… I’ve seen this stuff growing everywhere since I was a kid, and this whole time I had no idea you could actually use it for anything. I wonder why it’s not more well known that it has so many uses? Or I guess maybe it is but people just don’t care to use it anymore…
We’ve lost our connection to the land in so many ways. I believe that for every natural ailment there is a natural cure. When you get to know the plants around you you realize you have a natural pharmacy all around you!
Hello…so I have what I believe is yarrow growing but it’s yellow…does it grow in different colors? If yes do different colors have different properties?
Hi Michelle,
I thought I replied to you but I don’t see my reply here. Sorry for the delay! I actually recently learned that yarrow does grow in all sorts of different colours. We actually have some purple yarrow growing at the school where I work! I don’t believe that the different colours have different properties, but I do believe they have the same properties. The yarrow leaves are actually quite potent in and of themselves.
I have been yearning to start to develop my appothicary. I knew I had yarrow from early this summer. Finally came across something telling me how to harvest it.
Guess what I just did this minute. ?
Thanks to you post. Now to just get to learn more and to get to harvesting other wild things. LOL
That’s awesome! What are you going to do with it? Dry it? Make a tincture or maybe an oil infusion? It’s so great for so many things. I’m actually using a tincture I made as an astringent as its great for breakouts as well! Gotta love those “weeds”!