''Achillea millefolium'', commonly known as yarrow () or common yarrow, is a
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
in the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Asteraceae
The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae w ...
. Other common names include old man's pepper, devil's nettle, sanguinary, milfoil, soldier's woundwort, and thousand seal.
The plant is
native
Native may refer to:
People
* Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth
* Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory
** Native Americans (disambiguation)
In arts and entert ...
to
temperate regions
In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...
of the
Northern Hemisphere
The Northern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is north of the Equator. For other planets in the Solar System, north is defined as being in the same celestial hemisphere relative to the invariable plane of the solar system as Earth's Nort ...
in
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
,
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
, and
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
.
It has been introduced as a feed for livestock in
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
and
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
.
Description
''Achillea millefolium'' is an erect,
herbaceous
Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials.
Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous"
The fourth edition of t ...
,
perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...
that produces one to several stems in height, and has a spreading
rhizomatous
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (; , ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow hori ...
growth form. Leaves are evenly distributed along the stem, with the leaves near the middle and bottom of the stem being the largest. The leaves have varying degrees of hairiness (pubescence). The
leaves
A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...
are long,
bipinnate or tripinnate, almost feathery, and arranged spirally on the stems. The leaves are
cauline
A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, st ...
, and more or less clasping,
being more
petiolate
Petiole may refer to:
*Petiole (botany), the stalk of a leaf, attaching the blade to the stem
*Petiole (insect anatomy)
In entomology, petiole is the technical term for the narrow waist of some hymenopteran insects, especially ants, bees, a ...
near the base.
The
inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed o ...
has 4 to 9
phyllaries
In botanical terminology, a phyllary, also known an involucral bract or tegule, is a single bract of the involucre of a composite flower. The involucre is the grouping of bracts together. Phyllaries are reduced leaf-like structures that form one or ...
and contains ray and disk flowers which are white to pink, blooming from March to October.
There are generally 3 to 8 ray flowers, which are long
and ovate to round. The tiny disk flowers range from 10 to 40.
The inflorescence is produced in a flat-topped
capitulum
capitulum (plural capitula) may refer to:
*the Latin word for chapter
** an index or list of chapters at the head of a gospel manuscript
** a short reading in the Liturgy of the Hours
*** derived from which, it is the Latin for the assembly known ...
cluster and the inflorescences are visited by many insects, featuring a generalized
pollination
Pollination is the transfer of pollen from an anther of a plant to the stigma of a plant, later enabling fertilisation and the production of seeds, most often by an animal or by wind. Pollinating agents can be animals such as insects, birds ...
system. The small
achene
An achene (; ), also sometimes called akene and occasionally achenium or achenocarp, is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate (formed from one carpel) and indehiscent (they do not ope ...
-like fruits are called cypsela.
[
The plant has a sweet scent similar to that of ]chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemums (), sometimes called mums or chrysanths, are flowering plants of the genus ''Chrysanthemum'' in the family Asteraceae. They are native to East Asia and northeastern Europe. Most species originate from East Asia and the center ...
s, so powerful that it may be irritating to some.
Chemistry
The dark blue essential oil of yarrow contains chemicals called proazulene
Matricin is a sesquiterpene. It can be extracted from flower of chamomille (''Matricaria chamomilla''). Matricin is colorless.
Chamazulene, a blue-violet derivative of azulene, found in a variety of plants including in chamomile (''Matricaria cha ...
s.
Chamazulene
Chamazulene is an aromatic chemical compound with the molecular formula C14H16 found in a variety of plants including in chamomile (''Matricaria chamomilla''), wormwood (''Artemisia absinthium''), and yarrow (''Achillea millefolium''). It is a b ...
and δ-Cadinol are chemical compounds found in ''A. millefolium''. The chromophore of azulene
Azulene is an organic compound and an isomer of naphthalene. Naphthalene is colourless, whereas azulene is dark blue. Two terpenoids, vetivazulene (4,8-dimethyl-2-isopropylazulene) and guaiazulene (1,4-dimethyl-7-isopropylazulene), that feature ...
was discovered in yarrow and wormwood and named in 1863 by Septimus Piesse
George William Septimus Piesse (May 30, 1820 – October 23, 1882), known as Septimus Piesse, was an English chemist and perfumer. Piesse was a leading author and innovator of modern perfume ideas, inventing the concept of notes in perfumery that ...
.
Yarrow contains isovaleric acid, salicylic acid
Salicylic acid is an organic compound with the formula HOC6H4CO2H. A colorless, bitter-tasting solid, it is a precursor to and a metabolite of aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid). It is a plant hormone, and has been listed by the EPA Toxic Substance ...
, asparagine
Asparagine (symbol Asn or N) is an α-amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. It contains an α-amino group (which is in the protonated −NH form under biological conditions), an α-carboxylic acid group (which is in the depro ...
, sterol
Sterol is an organic compound with formula , whose molecule is derived from that of gonane by replacement of a hydrogen atom in position 3 by a hydroxyl group. It is therefore an alcohol of gonane. More generally, any compounds that contain the go ...
s, and flavonoid
Flavonoids (or bioflavonoids; from the Latin word ''flavus'', meaning yellow, their color in nature) are a class of polyphenolic secondary metabolites found in plants, and thus commonly consumed in the diets of humans.
Chemically, flavonoids ...
s. It also contains phenolic acids such as gallic acid
Gallic acid (also known as 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid) is a trihydroxybenzoic acid with the formula C6 H2( OH)3CO2H. It is classified as a phenolic acid. It is found in gallnuts, sumac, witch hazel, tea leaves, oak bark, and other plants. It i ...
, 3, 4-dihydroxy benzoic acid, 2-OH-Benzoic acid, chlorogenic acid, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, syringic acid, p-coumaric acid, sinapic acid, ferulic acid, cinnamic acid and flavonoid such as myricetin
Myricetin is a member of the flavonoid class of polyphenolic compounds, with antioxidant properties. Common dietary sources include vegetables (including tomatoes), fruits (including oranges), nuts, berries, tea, and red wine. Myricetin is structu ...
, hesperidin
Hesperidin is a flavanone glycoside found in citrus fruits. Its aglycone form is called hesperetin. Its name is derived from the word "hesperidium", for fruit produced by citrus trees.
Hesperidin was first isolated in 1828 by French chemist M. ...
, quercetin
Quercetin is a plant flavonol from the flavonoid group of polyphenols. It is found in many fruits, vegetables, leaves, seeds, and grains; capers, red onions, and kale are common foods containing appreciable amounts of it. It has a bitter flavor a ...
, luteolin
Luteolin is a flavone, a type of flavonoid, with a yellow crystalline appearance.
Luteolin is the principal yellow dye compound that is obtained from the plant ''Reseda luteola'', which has been used as a source of the dye since at least the fir ...
, kaempferol
Kaempferol (3,4′,5,7-tetrahydroxyflavone) is a natural flavonol, a type of flavonoid, found in a variety of plants and plant-derived foods including kale, beans, tea, spinach, and broccoli. Kaempferol is a yellow crystalline solid with a meltin ...
, apigenin
Apigenin (4′,5,7-trihydroxyflavone), found in many plants, is a natural product belonging to the flavone class that is the aglycone of several naturally occurring glycosides. It is a yellow crystalline solid that has been used to dye wool.
S ...
, rutin
Rutin, also called rutoside, quercetin-3-O-rutinoside and sophorin, is the glycoside combining the flavonol quercetin and the disaccharide rutinose (α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranose). It is a flavonoid found in a wide variety of pla ...
, hyperoside
Hyperoside is a chemical compound. It is the 3-''O''-galactoside of quercetin.
Natural occurrences
Hyperoside has been isolated from ''Drosera rotundifolia'', from the Lamiaceae ''Stachys sp.'' and ''Prunella vulgaris'', from ''Rumex acetosella ...
.
Taxonomy
The several varieties
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
and subspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...
include:
*''Achillea millefolium'' subsp. ''millefolium''
**''A. m.'' subsp. ''m.'' var. ''millefolium'' – Europe, Asia
**''A. m.'' subsp. ''m.'' var. ''borealis'' – Arctic
The Arctic ( or ) is a polar regions of Earth, polar region located at the northernmost part of Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut), Danish Realm (Greenla ...
regions
**''A. m.'' subsp. ''m.'' var. ''rubra'' – Southern Appalachians
The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...
*''A. millefolium'' subsp. ''chitralensis'' – western Himalaya
The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...
*''A. millefolium'' subsp. ''sudetica'' – Alps
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...
, Carpathians
The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians () are a range of mountains forming an arc across Central Europe. Roughly long, it is the third-longest European mountain range after the Ural Mountains, Urals at and the Scandinavian Mountains at . The ...
*''Achillea millefolium'' var. ''alpicola'' – Western United States, Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
*''Achillea millefolium'' var. ''californica'' – California, Pacific Northwest
*''Achillea millefolium'' var. ''occidentalis'' – North America
*''Achillea millefolium'' var. ''pacifica'' – west coast of North America, Alaska
*''Achillea millefolium'' var. ''puberula'' – endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
to California
Etymology
The genus name ''Achillea'' is derived from mythical Greek character Achilles
In Greek mythology, Achilles ( ) or Achilleus ( grc-gre, Ἀχιλλεύς) was a hero of the Trojan War, the greatest of all the Greek warriors, and the central character of Homer's ''Iliad''. He was the son of the Nereid Thetis and Peleus, k ...
, who reportedly carried it with his army to treat battle wounds. The specific epithet
In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...
''millefolium'' as well as the common names milfoil and thousand leaf come from the featherlike leaves which are minutely divided.
The English name yarrow comes from its Saxon (Old English
Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, Anglo ...
) name ''gearwe'', which is related to both the Dutch word ''gerw'' (alternately ''yerw'') and the Old High German word ''garawa''. In the eastern counties it may be called yarroway. In France, it was called herbe de'' St. Joseph' after a Christian revision of the Achilles story, in which Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
uses the plant to heal his adoptive father. It has also been called 'carpenter's weed' in this regard.
Other names include arrowroot, nose bleed, death flower, eerie, hundred leaved grass, knyghten, old man's mustard, sanguinary, seven-year's love, snake's grass, soldier, and ''gordaldo''.
In New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Tiguex
, OfficialLang = None
, Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...
and southern Colorado
Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...
, it is called ''plumajillo'' (Spanish for 'little feather') from its leaf shape and texture.
Distribution and habitat
Yarrow grows from sea level to in elevation. Common yarrow is frequently found in the mildly disturbed soil of grasslands and open forests. Active growth occurs in the spring.
The plant is native to Eurasia and is found widely from the UK to China.
In North America, both native and introduced genotypes, and both diploid
Ploidy () is the number of complete sets of chromosomes in a cell, and hence the number of possible alleles for autosomal and pseudoautosomal genes. Sets of chromosomes refer to the number of maternal and paternal chromosome copies, respectively ...
and polyploid
Polyploidy is a condition in which the cells of an organism have more than one pair of ( homologous) chromosomes. Most species whose cells have nuclei ( eukaryotes) are diploid, meaning they have two sets of chromosomes, where each set contain ...
plants are found. It is found in every habitat throughout California except the Colorado and Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert ( ; mov, Hayikwiir Mat'aar; es, Desierto de Mojave) is a desert in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada mountains in the Southwestern United States. It is named for the indigenous Mojave people. It is located primarily in ...
s. Common yarrow produces an average yield of , with a total dry weight of .
It has been introduced as a feed for livestock in New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
and Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, where it is a common weed of both wet and dry areas, such as roadsides, meadows, fields and coastal places.
Ecology
Birds
Several cavity-nesting birds, including the common starling
The common starling or European starling (''Sturnus vulgaris''), also known simply as the starling in Great Britain and Ireland, is a medium-sized passerine bird in the starling family, Sturnidae. It is about long and has glossy black plumage ...
, use yarrow to line their nests. Experiments conducted on the tree swallow
The tree swallow (''Tachycineta bicolor'') is a migratory bird of the family Hirundinidae. Found in the Americas, the tree swallow was first described in 1807 by French ornithologist Louis Vieillot as ''Hirundo bicolor''. It has since been mov ...
, which does not use yarrow, suggest that adding yarrow to nests inhibits the growth of parasites
Parasitism is a Symbiosis, close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the Host (biology), host, causing it some harm, and is Adaptation, adapted structurally to this way of lif ...
.
Insects
''Achillea millefolium'' is a food source for many species of insects.
; Moths
The larvae of the moths ''Bucculatrix clavenae
''Bucculatrix clavenae'' is a moth in the family Bucculatricidae. It was described by Josef Wilhelm Klimesch in 1950. It is found in the Alps.
There is probably one generation per year.
References
Natural History Museum Lepidoptera generic name ...
'', '' B. cristatella'', '' B. fatigatella'', '' B. humiliella'', '' B. latviaella'', ''Cnephasia abrasana
''Cnephasia abrasana'' is a species of moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in Europe, where it has been recorded from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Romania, North Macedonia, Greece, Slovakia, Slovenia, Austria, Italy and Li ...
'', '' Cochylimorpha elongana'', ''Coleophora argentula
''Coleophora argentula'' is a moth of the family Coleophoridae, found in most of Europe, Russia and Asia Minor. The larvae live in cases and feed on the seeds of yarrow and sneezewort.
Description
The wingspan is 9.5–13 mm. The forewing i ...
'', '' C. carelica'', '' C. ditella'', '' C. expressella'', '' C. follicularis'', '' C. gardesanella'', '' C. millefolii'', '' C. partitella'', '' C. ptarmicia'', '' C. quadristraminella'', '' C. succursella'', '' C. vibicigerella'', ''Depressaria olerella
''Depressaria olerella'' is a moth of the family Depressariidae. It is found in most of Europe, except Ireland, the Netherlands, the Iberian Peninsula and most of the Balkan Peninsula.
The wingspan is 20–23 mm. Adults are on wing from Ma ...
'', '' D. silesiaca'', ''Dichrorampha alpinana
''Dichrorampha alpinana'', the broad-blotch drill, is a species of moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in almost all of Europe.
The wingspan is 13–15 mm. The forewings are rather dark fuscous, much mixed or almost wholly suffused w ...
'' (broad-blotch drill), '' D. petiverella'', '' D. vancouverana'' (tanacetum root moth), '' Eupithecia millefoliata'' (yarrow pug), '' E. nanata'' (narrow-winged pug), '' Gillmeria pallidactyla'', '' Idaea pallidata'', '' Isidiella nickerlii'', '' Loxostege manualis'', ''Phycitodes maritima
''Phycitodes maritima'' is a species of snout moth. It is found in most of Europe (except Ireland, Lithuania, Ukraine and the western and southern part of the Balkan Peninsula. It may also be absent from the Iberian Peninsula).
The wingspan is ...
'', '' P. saxicola'', '' Pyncostola bohemiella'', '' Sophronia sicariellus'' and ''Thetidia smaragdaria'' (Essex emerald
The Essex emerald (''Thetidia smaragdaria'') is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1787 as ''Phalaena smaragdaria''. It is distributed throughout the Palearctic region with records ...
) feed on ''Achillea millefolium'' in Europe.
The larvae of ''Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria
''Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria'', the blackberry looper, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found from Nova Scotia to Florida, west in Canada to Manitoba, west in the United States to the Rocky Mountains, and south into Mexico.
It is al ...
'' (blackberry looper), '' Coleophora quadruplex'' and ''Sparganothoides lentiginosana
''Sparganothoides lentiginosana'', the lentiginos moth, is a species of moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in the United States from Maryland to Florida, west to Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma, ranging south to Mexico in Tamaulipas and Ver ...
'' (lentiginos moth) feed on ''A. millefolium'' in North America.
Other species of moths with a more cosmopolitan distribution include ''Aethes smeathmanniana
''Aethes smeathmanniana'', or Smeathmann's aethes moth, is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It was described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1781. It is found in most of Europe, Asia Minor and in North America, where it has been recorded from Ne ...
'' (Smeathmann's aethes moth), ''Chloroclystis v-ata
The v-pug (''Chloroclystis v-ata'') is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found throughout the Palearctic region, the Near East and North Africa. It is well distributed in the British Isles except for the north of Scotland. The species was f ...
'' (v-pug), '' Choristoneura diversana'', ''Cochylidia richteriana
''Cochylidia richteriana'' is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It was described by Josef Emanuel Fischer von Röslerstamm in 1837. It is found from central and northern Europe to Mongolia, China (Beijing, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Hunan, Inner Mongol ...
'', ''Epiblema graphana
''Epiblema graphana'' is a species of moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in Spain, France, Germany, the Benelux, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Baltic region, Alban ...
'', ''Eupithecia succenturiata
The bordered pug (''Eupithecia succenturiata'') is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found across the Palearctic region. In the Pyrenees, the species can be found up to an altitude of 1800 metres. It prefers steppe areas, open bushy terrain ...
'' (bordered pug), '' E. vulgata'' (common pug), ''Jordanita budensis
''Jordanita budensis'' is a moth of the family Zygaenidae. It is found in Disjunct distribution, disjunct populations in central Spain, southern France, Italy, eastern Austria, Hungary, the Balkan Peninsula, Greece, Ukraine, the Crimea, the Europ ...
'' and ''Thiodia citrana
''Thiodia citrana'', the lemon bell, is a species of moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in China (Hebei, Xinjiang), Japan, Iran, Asia Minor, Turkmenistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, North Africa and Europe. The habitat consists of rough grass ...
'' (lemon bell).
The Noctuid ''Agrotis stigmosa'' has also been reared on ''A. millefolium''.
; Beetles
''Cassida denticollis
''Cassida denticollis'' is a species of leaf beetle, situated in the subfamily Cassidinae (tortoise beetles) and the genus ''Cassida'', found in Mongolia, West China (Xinjiang province), and the Western Palaearctic region.
Description
''Cassida ...
'', '' Galeruca tanaceti'', ''Hypocassida subferruginea
''Hypocassida subferruginea'' is a species of leaf beetles belonging to the family Chrysomelidae.
Description
''Hypocassida subferruginea'' can reach a length of . The basic colour of the body is yellowish or reddish-brown, with light metallic ...
'' and ''Phytoecia virgula
''Phytoecia virgula'' is a species of beetle from the subfamily Lamiinae.
Description
Adults have a length of . They can be found from April to July.
Distribution
From Europe, Turkey and Russia to the Caucasus, the Middle East and Kazakhstan.
...
'' are cosmopolitan species of beetles that feed on ''A. millefolium''.
'' Chrysanthia viridissima'' is a European species whose adults can be found feeding on pollen and nectar.
''Trichodes ornatus
''Trichodes ornatus'', commonly known as Ornate Checkered Beetle, is a beetle species of checkered beetles belonging to the family Cleridae, subfamily Clerinae which can be found only in North America.
Ecology
Larvae live in bee nests of mostly ...
'' (ornate checkered beetle) is a species found in North America whose adults can be found feeding on ''A. millefolium''.
; True bugs
''Horistus orientalis
Horistus orientalis is a species of ''plant bugs'', part of the suborder ''Heteroptera'' (also called "true bugs"), which belongs to the family Miridae, subfamily Mirinae.
Distribution
This species can be found in most of continental Europe. T ...
'' is a species of plant bugs that feeds on ''A. millefolium''.
; Wasps
''Hedychrum rutilans
''Hedychrum rutilans'' is a species of cuckoo wasps (insects in the family Chrysididae). The species occurs primarily in Austria, Italy, Bulgaria, Greece, France, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and in North Africa.Agnoli, G. L.; Rosa, P. ...
'' is a species of cuckoo wasps whose adults can be found feeding on ''A. millefolium'' in Europe and North Africa.
Cultivation
''Achillea millefolium'' is cultivated as an ornamental plant
Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that i ...
by many plant nurseries
A nursery is a place where plants are propagated and grown to a desired size. Mostly the plants concerned are for gardening, forestry or conservation biology, rather than agriculture. They include retail nurseries, which sell to the general p ...
. It is planted in gardens and natural landscaping
Natural landscaping, also called native gardening, is the use of native plants and adapted species, including trees, shrubs, groundcover, and grasses which are local to the geographic area of the garden.
Benefits
Maintenance
Natural landsc ...
settings of diverse climates and styles. They include native plant
In biogeography, a native species is indigenous to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only local natural evolution (though often popularised as "with no human intervention") during history. The term is equ ...
, drought-tolerant
Drought tolerance is the ability to which a plant maintains its biomass production during arid or drought conditions. Some plants are naturally adapted to dry conditions'','' surviving with protection mechanisms such as desiccation tolerance, detox ...
, and wildlife garden
A wildlife garden (or wild garden) is an environment created by a gardener that serves as a sustainable haven for surrounding wildlife. Wildlife gardens contain a variety of habitats that cater to native and local plants, birds, amphibians, rep ...
s. The plant is a frequent component of butterfly garden
Butterfly gardening is a way to create, improve, and maintain habitat for lepidopterans including butterflies, skippers, and moths. Butterflies have four distinct life stages—egg, larva, chrysalis, and adult. In order to support and sustain ...
s. The plant prefers well-drained soil in full sun, but can be grown in less ideal conditions.
Propagation
For propagation
Propagation can refer to:
*Chain propagation in a chemical reaction mechanism
*Crack propagation, the growth of a crack during the fracture of materials
*Propaganda, non-objective information used to further an agenda
*Reproduction, and other forms ...
, seeds require light for germination, so optimal germination occurs when planted no deeper than . Seeds also require a germination temperature of . It has a relatively short life in some situations, but may be prolonged by division in the spring every other year, and planting apart. It can become invasive.
Cultivars
The species use in traditional gardens has generally been superseded by cultivar
A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture, ...
s with specific 'improved' qualities. Some are used as drought-tolerant lawn
A lawn is an area of soil-covered land planted with grasses and other durable plants such as clover which are maintained at a short height with a lawnmower (or sometimes grazing animals) and used for aesthetic and recreational purposes. L ...
replacements, with periodic mowing. The many different ornamental cultivars include: 'Paprika', 'Cerise Queen', 'Red Beauty', 'Red Velvet', 'Saucy Seduction', 'Strawberry Seduction' (red), 'Island Pink' (pink), 'Calistoga' (white), and 'Sonoma Coast' (white). The following are recipients of the Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity.
The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...
's Award of Garden Merit
The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions.
History
The Award of Garden Merit ...
:
* 'Credo'
* 'Lachsschönheit' (Galaxy Series)
* 'Martina'
*'Lansdorferglut'
The many hybrids of this species designated ''Achillea'' × ''taygetea'' are useful garden subjects, including: 'Appleblossom', 'Fanal', 'Hoffnung', and 'Moonshine'.
Toxicity
Yarrow can cause allergic skin rashes. It reportedly can induce menstruation and cause miscarriages.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing animal cruelty. Based in New York City since its inception in 1866, the organization's mission is "to provide effective mea ...
, yarrow is toxic to dogs, cats, and horses, causing increased urination, vomiting, diarrhea and dermatitis.
When consumed by cows, an unfavorable flavor is given to their milk. In a standard rodent model
Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are na ...
for reproductive toxicity, aqueous extracts of yarrow produced a significant increase in the percentage of abnormal sperm.
Uses
Traditional medicine
''A. millefolium'' was used in traditional medicine
Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) comprises medical aspects of traditional knowledge that developed over generations within the folk beliefs of various societies, including indigenous peoples, before the ...
, in part due to its astringent
An astringent (sometimes called adstringent) is a chemical that shrinks or constricts body tissues. The word derives from the Latin ''adstringere'', which means "to bind fast". Calamine lotion, witch hazel, and yerba mansa, a Californian plant ...
properties and the mild laxative
Laxatives, purgatives, or aperients are substances that loosen stools and increase bowel movements. They are used to treat and prevent constipation.
Laxatives vary as to how they work and the side effects they may have. Certain stimulant, lubri ...
effect of its leaves. Yarrow and its North American varieties were traditionally used by many Native American nations.[University of Michigan – Dearborn: Native American Ethnobotany; ''Achillea millefolium''](_blank)
Accessed 31 January 2013. The Navajo
The Navajo (; British English: Navaho; nv, Diné or ') are a Native American people of the Southwestern United States.
With more than 399,494 enrolled tribal members , the Navajo Nation is the largest federally recognized tribe in the United ...
historically considered it a "life medicine" and chewed the plant for toothaches and used its infusions for earaches. The Miwok
The Miwok (also spelled Miwuk, Mi-Wuk, or Me-Wuk) are members of four linguistically related Native American groups indigenous to what is now Northern California, who traditionally spoke one of the Miwok languages in the Utian family. The word ' ...
in California used the plant as an analgesic
An analgesic drug, also called simply an analgesic (American English), analgaesic (British English), pain reliever, or painkiller, is any member of the group of drugs used to achieve relief from pain (that is, analgesia or pain management). It ...
and head cold
The common cold or the cold is a virus, viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory tract that primarily affects the Respiratory epithelium, respiratory mucosa of the human nose, nose, throat, Paranasal sinuses, sinuses, and larynx. Si ...
remedy. Native American nations used the plant for healing cuts and abrasions, relief from earaches and throat infections, as well as for an eyewash
Eyewash is a fluid, commonly salineus, used to physically wash the eyes in the case that they may be contaminated by foreign materials or substances.
Eyewashes may be beneficial to those with sensitive eyes and can provide relief to the painful ...
. Common yarrow was used by Plains indigenous peoples
Plains indigenous peoples (), previously called plain aborigines, are Taiwanese aborigines, Taiwanese indigenous peoples originally residing in lowland regions, as opposed to Highland indigenous peoples. Plains indigenous peoples consist of anyw ...
to reduce pain or fever and aid sleep.
In the early 20th century, some Ojibwe
The Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Chippewa, or Saulteaux are an Anishinaabe people in what is currently southern Canada, the northern Midwestern United States, and Northern Plains.
According to the U.S. census, in the United States Ojibwe people are one of ...
people used a decoction
Decoction is a method of extraction by boiling herbal or plant material (which may include stems, roots, bark and rhizomes) to dissolve the chemicals of the material. It is the most common preparation method in various herbal-medicine systems. De ...
of yarrow leaves on hot stones and inhaled it to treat headache
Headache is the symptom of pain in the face, head, or neck. It can occur as a migraine, tension-type headache, or cluster headache. There is an increased risk of depression in those with severe headaches.
Headaches can occur as a result ...
s, or applied decoctions of the root onto skin for its stimulating effect.
Food
The entire plant is reportedly edible and nutritious, but it is advised not to consume much. The foliage is pungent; both its leaves and flowers are bitter and astringent. The leaves can be eaten young; raw, they can be added to salad. The leaves, with an anise
Anise (; '), also called aniseed or rarely anix is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae native to Eurasia.
The flavor and aroma of its seeds have similarities with some other spices and herbs, such as star anise, fennel, licorice, and ta ...
ed-grass flavour, can be brewed as tea.
In the Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
, yarrow was part of a herbal mixture known as gruit
Gruit (alternately grut or gruyt) is a herb mixture used for bittering and flavouring beer, popular before the extensive use of hops. The terms gruit and grut ale may also refer to the beverage produced using gruit.
Historically, gruit is the te ...
used in the flavoring of beer prior to the use of hops
Hops are the flowers (also called seed cones or strobiles) of the hop plant ''Humulus lupulus'', a member of the Cannabaceae family of flowering plants. They are used primarily as a bittering, flavouring, and stability agent in beer, to whi ...
. The flowers and leaves are used in making some liquor
Liquor (or a spirit) is an alcoholic drink produced by distillation of grains, fruits, vegetables, or sugar, that have already gone through alcoholic fermentation. Other terms for liquor include: spirit drink, distilled beverage or hard ...
s and bitters
Bitters (plural also ''bitters'') is traditionally an alcoholic preparation flavored with botanical matter for a bitter or bittersweet flavor. Originally, numerous longstanding brands of bitters were developed as patent medicines, but now are ...
.
Other uses
Yarrow is considered an especially useful companion plant
Companion planting in gardening and agriculture is the planting of different crops in proximity for any of a number of different reasons, including pest control, pollination, providing habitat for beneficial insects, maximizing use of space, and ...
, attracting beneficial insect
Beneficial insects (sometimes called beneficial bugs) are any of a number of species of insects that perform valued services like pollination and pest (animal), pest control. The concept of ''beneficial'' is subjective and only arises in light of d ...
s and repelling some pests. It attracts predatory wasps, which drink the nectar and then use insect pests as food for their larvae. Similarly, it attracts ladybird
Coccinellidae () is a widespread family of small beetles ranging in size from . They are commonly known as ladybugs in North America and ladybirds in Great Britain. Some entomologists prefer the names ladybird beetles or lady beetles as they ...
s and hoverflies
Hover flies, also called flower flies or syrphid flies, make up the insect family Syrphidae. As their common name suggests, they are often seen hovering or nectaring at flowers; the adults of many species feed mainly on nectar and pollen, whi ...
.
''A. millefolium'' can be planted to combat soil erosion
Erosion is the action of surface processes (such as water flow or wind) that removes soil, rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth's crust, and then transports it to another location where it is deposited. Erosion is distin ...
due to the plant's resistance to drought. Before the arrival of monocultures of ryegrass, both grass and pasture contained ''A. millefolium'' at a density of about 0.3 kg/ha. One factor for its use in grass mixtures was its deep roots, with leaves rich in minerals, minimizing mineral deficiencies in ruminant feed. It was introduced into New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
as a drought-tolerant pasture.
Some pick-up sticks
Pick-up sticks, pick-a-stick, jackstraws, jack straws, spillikins, spellicans, or fiddlesticks is a game of physical and mental skill in which a bundle of sticks, between 8 and 20 centimeters long, is dropped as a loose bunch onto a table to ...
are made of yarrow.
Yarrow can be used for dying wool as it contains apigenin
Apigenin (4′,5,7-trihydroxyflavone), found in many plants, is a natural product belonging to the flavone class that is the aglycone of several naturally occurring glycosides. It is a yellow crystalline solid that has been used to dye wool.
S ...
and luteolin
Luteolin is a flavone, a type of flavonoid, with a yellow crystalline appearance.
Luteolin is the principal yellow dye compound that is obtained from the plant ''Reseda luteola'', which has been used as a source of the dye since at least the fir ...
. Depending on the mordant the color may be green to yellow.
Culture
In antiquity, the plant was known as ''herba militaris'' for its use in stanching the flow of blood from wounds.[Dodson & Dunmire, 2007, ''Mountain Wildflowers of the Southern Rockies'', UNM Press, ] Other names implying its historical use in healing—particularly in the military—include bloodwort, knight's milfoil, staunchweed, and, from its use in the US Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
, soldier's woundwort. Its use in either starting or stopping nosebleeds led to the common name nosebleed. For its association with the Abrahamic
The Abrahamic religions are a group of religions centered around worship of the God of Abraham. Abraham, a Hebrew patriarch, is extensively mentioned throughout Abrahamic religious scriptures such as the Bible and the Quran.
Jewish tradition ...
devil
A devil is the personification of evil as it is conceived in various cultures and religious traditions. It is seen as the objectification of a hostile and destructive force. Jeffrey Burton Russell states that the different conceptions of t ...
it was called bad man's plaything, devil's nettle, and devil's plaything. It was called old man's pepper due to its pungent flavor, while the name field hop came from its use in beer making in Sweden.
Greece
In the Classical Greek
Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic peri ...
epic ''Iliad
The ''Iliad'' (; grc, Ἰλιάς, Iliás, ; "a poem about Ilium") is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the ''Odysse ...
'', Homer
Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...
tells of the centaur Chiron
In Greek mythology, Chiron ( ; also Cheiron or Kheiron; ) was held to be the superlative centaur amongst his brethren since he was called the "wisest and justest of all the centaurs".
Biography
Chiron was notable throughout Greek mythology ...
, who conveyed herbal secrets to his human pupils and taught Achilles to use yarrow on the battlegrounds of Troy.
China
Yarrow and tortoiseshell
Tortoiseshell or tortoise shell is a material produced from the shells of the larger species of tortoise and turtle, mainly the hawksbill sea turtle, which is a critically endangered species according to the IUCN Red List largely because of its ...
are considered to be lucky in Chinese tradition
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
.
The stalks are dried and used as a randomising agent in I Ching divination.
Ireland and Great Britain
In the Hebrides
The Hebrides (; gd, Innse Gall, ; non, Suðreyjar, "southern isles") are an archipelago off the west coast of the Scottish mainland. The islands fall into two main groups, based on their proximity to the mainland: the Inner and Outer Hebrid ...
a leaf held against the eyes was sometimes believed to give second sight
Extrasensory perception or ESP, also called sixth sense, is a claimed paranormal ability pertaining to reception of information not gained through the recognized physical senses, but sensed with the mind. The term was adopted by Duke Universit ...
.
In Sussex
Sussex (), from the Old English (), is a historic county in South East England that was formerly an independent medieval Anglo-Saxon kingdom. It is bounded to the west by Hampshire, north by Surrey, northeast by Kent, south by the English ...
and Devonshire
Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is a ...
superstition, yarrow was used for finding one's real sweetheart. One would pluck yarrow growing on a young man's grave while reciting:
:Yarrow, sweet yarrow, the first that I have found,
in the name of Jesus Christ, I pluck it from the ground;
As Joseph loved sweet Mary
Mary may refer to:
People
* Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name)
Religious contexts
* New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below
* Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...
, and took her for his dear,
so in a dream this night, I hope, my true love will appear.
and go to sleep with the yarrow under the pillow.
In a similar tradition in Wicklow
Wicklow ( ; ga, Cill Mhantáin , meaning 'church of the toothless one'; non, Víkingaló) is the county town of County Wicklow in Ireland. It is located south of Dublin on the east coast of the island. According to the 2016 census, it has ...
, girls would pick yarrow on Hallow Eve and recite:
:Thou pretty herb of Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus (like Mercury) appears in Earth's sky never fa ...
' tree,
Thy true name is yarrow;
Now who my bosom friend may be,
Pray tell thou me to-morrow.
then retire for the night without speaking and go to sleep with an ounce of yarrow sewn in flannel under the pillow.
In Suffolk
Suffolk () is a ceremonial county of England in East Anglia. It borders Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south; the North Sea lies to the east. The county town is Ipswich; other important towns include Lowes ...
a leaf was placed in the nose so it would bleed, while reciting
:Green 'arrow, green 'arrow, you bears a white blow,
If my love love me, my nose will bleed now;
If my love don't love me, it 'on't bleed a drop,
If my love do love me, 'twill bleed every drop.
In Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
on May Day or the night before, women would place a stocking full of yarrow under their pillow and recite:
:Good morrow, good yarrow, good morrow to thee,
I hope by the yarrow my lover to see;
And that he may be married to me.
The colour of his hair and the clothes he does wear,
And if he be for me may his face be turned to me,
And if he be not, dark and surely may he be,
And his back be turned toward me.
In the witchcraft trial
A witch-hunt, or a witch purge, is a search for people who have been labeled witches or a search for evidence of witchcraft. The Witch trials in the early modern period, classical period of witch-hunts in Early Modern Europe and European Colon ...
of Elspeth Reoch
Elspeth Reoch (died Kirkwall 1616) was an alleged Scottish witch. She was born in Caithness but as a child spent time with relatives on an island in Lochaber prior to travelling to the mainland of Orkney. At that time the Orkney archipelago was ...
in March 1616, she was alleged to have plucked "melefour," thought to be another name for yarrow, and said "''In nomine Patris, Fiili, et Spiritus Sancti''" to become able to cure distemper (disorders of the four humours
Humorism, the humoral theory, or humoralism, was a system of medicine detailing a supposed makeup and workings of the human body, adopted by Ancient Greek and Roman physicians and philosophers.
Humorism began to fall out of favor in the 1850s ...
) and impart the faculty of prediction.
Yarrow was thought to bring luck due to being, according to one woman cited by James Britten
James Britten (3 May 1846 – 8 October 1924) was an English botanist.
Biography
Born in Chelsea, London, he moved to High Wycombe in 1865 to begin a medical career. However he became increasingly interested in botany, and began writing paper ...
, "the first herb our Saviour put in His hand when a child." This is apparently a corruption of the Achilles myth.
Gallery
References
External links
Kansas Wildflowers – Achillea millefolium
Dr. Duke's Databases: ''Achillea millefolium''
Achillea millefolium L.
Medicinal Plant Images Database (School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University)
{{Authority control
millefolium
Butterfly food plants
Drought-tolerant plants
Flora of North America
Flora of Europe
Flora of temperate Asia
Garden plants of Europe
Garden plants of North America
Groundcovers
Herbs
Medicinal plants of Asia
Medicinal plants of Europe
Plants described in 1753
Plants used in traditional Native American medicine
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus