I also noticed that we have a lot of yarrow growing alongside our patio, so I clipped a bunch to dry and store, before someone mows the lawn and shreds it all.
It looks a little wilted now because it's only just started to dry, but I've hung it upside down in front of my window to speed the process. When it's finished, I have a jar to store them in.
Yarrow is a useful herb for many reasons, and it can be found commonly across much of the planet's northern hemisphere. It is indeed so common that it is considered a weed in many places.
When fresh, it has clotting and anti-bacterial properties. If you scrape yourself gardening, pressing a fresh yarrow leaf to the wound will quickly help it stop bleeding. It has the same effect on nosebleeds. I have used it to this end myself, with considerable success. Its genus name, Achillea, comes of course from the Greek Achilles, the hero who carried the plant into battle to treat the wounds of his soldiers. The flowers' essential oil is employed as an anti-inflammatory agent.
If you are working a healing spell, yarrow is an obvious choice. It could also be sympathetically identified with binding spells, as it "binds" skin together.
In the I Ching, a divination system originating in China, dried yarrow stalks were tossed as a randomizing agent. As such, the plant also has associations with psychism and traditional divinitory practices.
Yarrow leaves are edible*, albeit somewhat bitter, and may help to reduce fever, to lower blood pressure, or to lessen menstrual symptoms.
*I am not an herbalist, and this information comes from Wikipedia. Be certain when eating any wild plant that you know what it is, if you have any chance of being allergic to it, and what the anticipated effects are. Also be aware that many herbs are not safe for pregnant individuals to ingest.
For the record: water hemlock looks similar to yarrow, and all parts of this plant are poisonous. Be safe when collecting.
No comments:
Post a Comment