Backyard Nature Wednesday: Yarrow

Achillea millefolium, commonly called yarrow, is a member of the very large aster family. It is native throughout the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere of the planet.  It is a valuable addition to drought-tolerant habitat gardens that focus on using native plants and attracting native wildlife. It is particularly useful in butterfly gardens. The shape of its flowers make them easy landing zones for butterflies. The inflorescences are favorites of many pollinating insects. It is known that some cavity nesting birds also use yarrow to line their nests, where it serves as a natural pesticide and inhibits the growth of parasites.

Yarrow has an interesting history. Its genus name Achillea comes from the mythical Greek character, Achilles. Supposedly, he carried yarrow with his army to treat battle wounds. It was traditionally used to help stop bleeding; two of its common names were staunchweed and soldier's woundwort. There are numerous other common names that reflect this usage. It encourages clotting and, in addition to treating wounds, the fresh leaves have been used to stop nosebleeds. Also, the essential oils of the plant, when extracted by steam distillation of the flowers, can be used as an anti-inflammatory and it will kill the larvae of some mosquitoes. All in all, a very useful plant.

Yarrow comes in a wide variety of bloom colors, but I grow it in white. My start of the plant was given to me several years ago by a friend and the perennial plant has flourished in its sunny spot in my garden, an ever-present reminder of this lovely person and her friendship.

 

Comments

  1. JayneApril 6, 2016 at 1:32 PM

    I planted it in several spots around the yard a few years ago. Most didn't make it, but the one I planted along the back wall has grown and spread around the base of the Vitex tree. It covers an area about 10 feet wide now.Our mild winters don't seem to faze it at all. I love it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dorothy BordersApril 6, 2016 at 2:58 PM

      There have been a few times when mine has died back in the winter, but it always comes back strong in the spring. So strong that I really need to divide and move part of it now.

      Delete
  2. AnonymousApril 6, 2016 at 3:04 PM

    thank you appreciate this

    ReplyDelete
  3. Judy KruegerApril 6, 2016 at 5:46 PM

    Lovely. Thanks for the history. It sounds like something perhaps the peacocks wouldn't like. I am always on the lookout for that!

    ReplyDelete
  4. CarmenApril 6, 2016 at 5:53 PM

    Sounds like a very useful plant to have around.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dorothy BordersApril 6, 2016 at 7:02 PM

      It certainly has many uses as an herbal remedy. I don't really use it for any of those. I just enjoy it as a pollinator-attractor.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Poetry Sunday: Don't Hesitate by Mary Oliver

How about we share another Mary Oliver poem? After all, you can never have too many of those. In this one, the poet seems to acknowledge that it is often hard to simply live in and enjoy the moment, perhaps because we are afraid it can't last. She urges us to give in to that moment and fully experience the joy. Although "much can never be redeemed, still, life has some possibility left." Don't Hesitate by Mary Oliver If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don’t hesitate. Give in to it. There are plenty of lives and whole towns destroyed or about to be. We are not wise, and not very often kind. And much can never be redeemed. Still, life has some possibility left. Perhaps this is its way of fighting back, that sometimes something happens better than all the riches or power in the world. It could be anything, but very likely you notice it in the instant when love begins. Anyway, that’s often the case. Anyway, whatever it is, don’t be afraid of its plenty. Joy is no
Read more

The Investigator by John Sandford: A review

Image
  I have read a few of John Sandford's books in the Prey series featuring Lucas Davenport. This book is a literal offspring of that series. It's the first in a series featuring Davenport's adopted daughter Letty Davenport. Letty is in her mid-20s and a graduate of Stanford. She works for a U.S. senator named Christopher Colles in a desk job but she's bored with her assignments. Then the senator offers her a chance to go into the field as a liaison between his office and the Department of Homeland Security.  In her first assignment in that position, she is sent to Texas along with DHS investigator John Kaiser to try to find out what is happening in regard to thefts of crude oil. The senator is not so concerned about the lost oil but wants to know where the money from its sale is going. Who is selling the oil and what they are doing with the profits? The suspicion is that a particularly nasty militia group led by a woman is involved. Letty and Kaiser head out to Texas, de
Read more

Poetry Sunday: Hymn for the Hurting by Amanda Gorman

You probably remember poet Amanda Gorman from her appearance at the inauguration of President Biden. She read her poem "The Hill We Climb" on that occasion. After the senseless slaughter in Uvalde this week, she was inspired to write another poem which was published in The New York Times. It seemed perfect for the occasion and so I stole it in order to feature it here, just in case you didn't get a chance to read it in the Times . Hymn for the Hurting by Amanda Gorman Everything hurts, Our hearts shadowed and strange, Minds made muddied and mute. We carry tragedy, terrifying and true. And yet none of it is new; We knew it as home, As horror, As heritage. Even our children Cannot be children, Cannot be. Everything hurts. It’s a hard time to be alive, And even harder to stay that way. We’re burdened to live out these days, While at the same time, blessed to outlive them. This alarm is how we know We must be altered — That we must differ or die, That we must triumph or try.
Read more