Yarrow is a member of the Daisy family
and flowers in the UK from June to September.
It can be easily identified by its feathery leaves
and its tiny white or pink-coloured flowers,
clustered tightly together to form umbrella-shaped heads.
Its Latin name millefolium means 1000-leaved
because its leaves appear that profuse due to their many divisions.
The flowers, when rubbed between the fingers,
have a fragrant yet pungent, peppery smell that is very distinctive.
Be careful not to confuse yarrow with members of the carrot family
which can include deadly plants such as hemlock
the appearance of the leaves and the fragrance of the yarrow flowers will help you distinguish one from the other.
However, if in doubt, leave alone as even touching hemlock can be dangerous.
With yarrow, the whole plant - the stem, leaves and flowers are used medicinally.
It's a good idea to collect this plant in the summer and dry it
as it is a fantastic cold, flu and fever remedy
and would be very useful in the winter for such ailments.
Yarrow is also an excellent remedy for painful periods
as it increases the circulation to the womb
and helps boosts a woman's natural production of progesterone,
a vital hormone for healthy menstruation and fertility.
Taking yarrow tea three times a day can help to regulate irregular periods
and help periods become less painful.
It is recommended to avoid yarrow during pregnancy.
To make one cup of yarrow tea:
take a small handful of the fresh herb (meaning flowers, stem and leaves combined)
or a teaspoon of the dried herb and add a cup of boiling water.
Let sit, covered, for 5-10 mins and then drink while warm.
As a fever remedy and cold yarrow tea can be very effective at reducing high fevers in both adults and children.
It used be highly regarded as a treatment for malarial fevers
One teaspoon of the cold tea every couple of hours will be a sufficient dose for children under 5 years old.
One cup of yarrow tea, three times a day for adults
It's gently laxative properties also help, as once the bowels are open, if they have not been, recovery from a fever often soon follows.