Editing Achillea millefolium (section)

== Uses ==
{{Further|Yarrow oil}}
{{Anchor|Yarrow salve}}
[[File:YarrowEssentialOil.png|thumb|upright|Essential oil]]
[[File:Achillea millefolium - leaves close-up (18736673602).jpg|thumb|Yarrow can produce a dense mat of soft leaves.]]

=== Traditional medicine ===
{{see also|List of plants in The English Physitian}}

''A. millefolium'' was used in [[traditional medicine]], in part due to its [[astringent]] properties and the mild [[laxative]] effect of its leaves.<ref name="ModernHerbal">{{cite book |author=Grieve |first=Maud |url=https://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/y/yarrow02.html |title=A Modern Herbal |year=1931 |author-link=Maud Grieve}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Common Yarrow |url=https://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/Plants%20of%20Upper%20Newport%20Bay%20(Robert%20De%20Ruff)/Asteraceae/Achillea%20millefolium.htm#:~:text=A%20tonic%20brew%20for%20loss,conditions%20of%20the%20gastrointestinal%20tract. |access-date=2022-07-21 |website=Natural History of Orange County, California}}</ref> It has been used since ancient times to heal wounds and stop bleeding, and in the sixteenth century the crushed leaves were used to stop nosebleeds.<ref name="auto">{{cite book |last1=Haragan |first1=Patricia Dalton |title=Weeds of Kentucky and Adjacent States |date=1991 |publisher=The University Press of Kentucky |page=9}}</ref> Yarrow and its North American varieties were traditionally used by many [[Native Americans of the United States|Native American]] nations.<ref name="dearborn">{{Cite web |title=BRIT - Native American Ethnobotany Database |url=http://naeb.brit.org/uses/species/38/ |access-date=2023-12-19 |website=naeb.brit.org}}</ref> The [[Navajo people|Navajo]] historically considered it a "life medicine" and chewed the plant for toothaches and used its infusions for earaches. The [[Miwok]] in California used the plant as an [[analgesic]] and [[head cold]] remedy.<ref name="dearborn" /> Native American nations used the plant for healing cuts and abrasions, relief from earaches and throat infections, as well as for an [[eyewash]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Faran |first1=Mina |title=Medicinal herbs in Modern Medicine (ṣimḥei marpé bir'fū'ah ha-modernīt) |last2=Tcherni |first2=Anna |date=1997 |publisher=Akademon (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) |isbn=965-350-068-6 |volume=1 |location=Jerusalem |page=242 |language=he |oclc=233179155}}, s.v. ''Achillea millefolium''</ref> Common yarrow was used by [[Plains Indians|Plains indigenous peoples]] to reduce pain or fever and aid sleep.<ref name="dearborn" />

In the early 20th century, some [[Ojibwe]] people used a [[decoction]] of yarrow leaves on hot stones and inhaled it to treat [[headache]]s,<ref>Densmore, Frances, 1928, Uses of Plants by the Chippewa Indians, SI-BAE Annual Report #44:273–379, page 336</ref> or applied decoctions of the root onto skin for its stimulating effect.<ref>Densmore, Frances, 1928, Uses of Plants by the Chippewa Indians, SI-BAE Annual Report #44:273–379, p.&nbsp;350</ref>

=== Food ===
The entire plant is reportedly edible and nutritious,<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Tjandra |first=Cornelia |date=2019-05-16 |title=Yarrow, a Delicious and Nutritious Panacea |url=https://eattheplanet.org/yarrow-a-delicious-and-nutritious-panacea/ |access-date=2022-07-21 |website=Eat The Planet |language=en-US}}</ref> but it is advised not to consume much.<ref name="ewf">{{Cite web |title=Common Yarrow: Pictures, Flowers, Leaves & Identification {{!}} Achillea millefolium |url=https://www.ediblewildfood.com/common-yarrow.aspx |access-date=2022-07-01 |website=Edible Wild Food}}</ref> The foliage is pungent; both its leaves and flowers are bitter and astringent.<ref name="ModernHerbal" /> The leaves can be eaten young; raw, they can be added to salad.<ref name="ewf" /> The leaves, with an [[anise]]ed-grass flavour, can be brewed as tea.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Benoliel|first=Doug|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/668195076|title=Northwest Foraging: The Classic Guide to Edible Plants of the Pacific Northwest|publisher=Skipstone|year=2011|isbn=978-1-59485-366-1|edition=Rev. and updated|location=Seattle, WA|pages=179|oclc=668195076}}</ref>

In the [[Middle Ages]], yarrow was part of a [[Adjuncts|herbal mixture]] known as [[gruit]] used in the flavoring of [[beer]] prior to the use of [[hops]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://thornews.com/2015/10/04/this-is-genuine-viking-beer/ | title=This Is Genuine Viking Beer | publisher=ThorNews | date=5 October 2015 | access-date=5 October 2015 | author=Lanneskog, Thor}}</ref> The flowers and leaves are used in making some [[liquor]]s and [[bitters]].<ref name="S&S" />

=== Other uses ===
Yarrow is used as a [[companion plant]], [[Insectary plant|attracting]] some [[beneficial insect]]s<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Fountain |first1=Michelle T. |date=18 March 2022 |title=Impacts of Wildflower Interventions on Beneficial Insects in Fruit Crops: A Review |journal=Insects |volume=13 |issue=3 |pages=304 |doi=10.3390/insects13030304|doi-access=free |pmid=35323602 |pmc=8955123 }}</ref> and repelling some pests.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

''A. millefolium'' can be planted to combat soil [[erosion]] due to the plant's [[Drought tolerance|resistance to drought]]. Before the arrival of monocultures of ryegrass, both grass and pasture contained ''A.&nbsp;millefolium'' at a density of about 0.3&nbsp;kg/ha.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}} 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]] as a drought-tolerant pasture.<ref name=":0" />

Some [[pick-up sticks]] are made of yarrow.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

Yarrow can be used for dying wool as it contains [[apigenin]] and [[luteolin]]. Depending on the [[mordant]] the color may be green to yellow.<ref name="Kiumarsi2009">{{cite journal |last1=Kiumarsi |last2=Abomahboub |last3=Rashedi |last4=Parvinzadeh |year=2009 |title=''Achillea Millefolium'', a New Source of Natural Dye for Wool Dyeing |url=https://www.sid.ir/en/journal/ViewPaper.aspx?ID=226555 |journal=Progress in Color, Colorants and Coatings |volume=2 |issue=2 |pages=87–93}}</ref>