Yarrow cut tops – Achillea millefolium

The plant is harvested in full bloom, then dried and cut for easy packaging and preparation. The tops contain the flowers, leaves, and upper parts of the stem, concentrating most of its active compounds. Its herbaceous and floral aroma makes it an ideal base for herbal teas.

Description

A perennial, yarrow grows naturally in meadows, embankments, and roadsides. It can reach 80 cm in height and is recognizable by its leaves cut into thin strips ("mille-feuille") and its white flowers gathered in corymbs. The aerial parts are hand-selected, then cut and sieved.

Nomenclature

• Common names: Yarrow, St. John's wort, carpenter's wort, nosebleed
• Latin name: Achillea millefolium
• Family: Asteraceae (Compositae)
• Part used: Cut flowering tops
• Form: Cut, dried
• Origin: Europe, temperate Asia, North America
• English name: Yarrow (cut)
• Name in German: Schafgarbe geschnitten
• Name in Spanish: Milenrama cortada
• Name in Italian: Millefoglio tagliato
• Name in Arabic: عشبة النجار مقطعة (ʿUshbat an-Najjār maqṭūʿa)

Main virtues

A traditional tonic, yarrow is used to harmonize, purify, and soothe. It is known to support women's cycles, digestive disorders, and external skin care. It is often found in comforting herbal teas and homemade preparations.

Main constituents

Essential oils (azulene, camphor, borneol), flavonoids (apigenin), lactones, tannins, phenolic acids, traces of alkaloids, resins.

Use and dosage

• Infusion: 1 tablespoon per cup of hot water, infuse for 10 minutes, filter.
• Decoction: 20 g in 1 liter of water, boil for 10 minutes, for bath or compress.
• Cosmetics: floral lotion, steam bath or purifying compress.

Precautions, side effects and contraindications

• May cause allergies in people sensitive to plants of the Asteraceae family.
• Not recommended during pregnancy, breastfeeding or when taking anticoagulant treatment.
• Respect the recommended doses and do not use long-term without supervision.

History and origin

Used since ancient Greece (believed to be the Achilles plant), yarrow is a plant honored in peasant traditions, monastic pharmacopoeias, and purification rituals. Harvested during solar festivals (St. John's Day, solstice), it was believed to protect and strengthen the body and mind.

Miscellaneous information

• Storage: in a dry, dark and well-ventilated place.
• Packaging: kraft bag, airtight jar or resealable zipped bag.
• Appearance: fragments of flowers, leaves and upper stems, gray-green and creamy white.
• Odor: sweet, floral, slightly camphorous.

Sources and references

• European medicinal plants – https://uses.plantnet-project.org
• Hildegard of Bingen – Physica
• USDA GRIN database – https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov
• Traditional and rural herbalism

🔎 Information

The products on aromacentre.fr are not medicines. They are natural, plant-based treatments. All usage advice on our site is for informational purposes only. Any additional requests should be made to a qualified healthcare professional. In accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods, we are unable to publish this information on the site. Taking this product does not exempt you from consulting a doctor or prescribing it. Ask your doctor or healthcare practitioner for advice. Be sure to read the precautions for use before using any medicinal plants. The use of herbal preparations is not recommended without consulting your doctor or pharmacist. The substances they contain may interact with medications prescribed by the patient, reducing their therapeutic effectiveness or causing toxicity. They can also worsen the weakening of the body's vital functions, thus exposing the patient to increased morbidity and life-threatening risks.

Disclaimer

The Apophycaire brand, the aromacentre.fr website, and SAS LPBE disclaim all liability for the use of the information on this site. Each individual is responsible for the use of these products and must ensure that their use is appropriate for their health.