3. Bulk Yarrow Flowers 8 oz.

Achillea millefolium. Becky, owner of Leave It To Us, is a very fastidious harvester.  Opening one of her bags of  Yarrow Flowers is a delight!  She has the natural knack of capturing the blossoms during their most fragrant moment and drying them without loosing their delicate scent or color.  This bag of blossoms will make approximately 70 cups of tea.

The pungently scented Yarrow has finely divided fern-like leaves and a flat-topped cluster of many small white flowers. The species grows in a diversity of habitats, flowering from June through September. The densely hairy plants average between ten and twenty inches tall, with leaves one to four inches long.

Constituents: Essential oil (proazulene, borneol, camphor, cineole, eugenol, linalool, pinene, sabinene, thujone), isoValerianic acid, achillein, formic acid, salicylic acid, polyacetylenes, asparagin, sterols, glycoalkaloid (achhilleine), flavonoids (apigenin, luteolin, rutin, quercitin), coumarins, tannins

. Analgesic – Yarrow helps to relax peripheral blood vessels, thereby improving circulation, which can aid in the treatment of some headaches. Take one teaspoon of tincture in a cup of warm water, or drink a tea brewed with two teaspoons of Yarrow per cup of boiling hot water for headache relief.

Antihemorrhagic –Yarrow contains achilletin and achilleine that aids in blood coagulation. The fresh leaves are an effective first aid to stimulate clotting in cuts and abrasions, as well as working as an antiseptic and a local anesthetic.  

Blood Pressure – Taken as a tea, Yarrow relaxes the peripheral blood vessels and is therefore useful in lowering blood pressure. A teaspoon of the dried herb is steeped in one cup of boiling-hot water for ten minutes. Three to four cups are taken hot throughout the day.  

Cold Remedy – If taken freely with Mullein and Horehound at the beginning of a cold, the congestion will break up within twenty-four hours. Use one teaspoon dried Yarrow, two teaspoon dried Mullein and one-half teaspoon dried Horehound per cup of boiling-hot water. Drink a cupful every two to three hours.

Cosmetic Aid – Yarrow makes an excellent facial steam for problem skin. Put a handful of dried Yarrow leaves and flowers in a small basin. Pour one quart of boiling water over the dried herb. Lean the head over the bowl, draping the head and bowl with a large towel to make a facial steam tent. Steam face for ten minutes, then rinse skin with fresh cold water.

Febrifuge – The plant is useful for breaking dry fevers. Steep two teaspoons of dried Yarrow leaves or flowers in one cup of boiling hot water for six or seven minutes. The tea is then sipped slowly. The best way to bring on copious sweating is to sit in a tub of hot water or a sauna while sipping the tea. Yarrow’s diaphoretic properties also help open the pores and aid in the elimination of waste material.

Gynecological Aid – Yarrow has been very effectively used during menopausal years, reducing the incidence of "hot flashes" and speeding up the transition. One teaspoon of the dried flowers is steeped in one cup boiling-hot water for ten minutes and taken hot several times a day. Two to three cups of Yarrow tea will decrease menstruation. Steep one teaspoon in one cup of boiling-hot water for five minutes, and then sip slowly.

Stings – Yarrow is an excellent first aid for wasp and bee stings. As soon as possible after being stung find some fresh Yarrow leaves and chew a small handful; place the chewed pulp directly on the sting, swallowing the bitter juice left in your mouth. The poultice removes the pain while the swallowed juice acts as anti-histamine. When the sting begins to hurt again, repeat the process. Most often swelling won't accompany the sting if treatment is applied quickly.