Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/182418388
While walking through my neighborhood I was called to take pictures and make observations about all the yarrow plants that I happened upon! As a kid, I always collected yarrow to use medicinally because it was pretty. I thought that this would be a great way to start my observations. I observed this on Friday the 8th of September around 7 pm. The sun had not set yet and I was still able to take a photo of it just using natural light. It was very visible amongst the grass and a few raspberry bushes that it was around because of its white head. Achillea millefolium, Yarrow, milfoil, or Common Yarrow are the many names that it is known by. It is of the genus Achillea. The reason for this was that it was named after Achilles who used yarrow to treat his soldier's wounds in the Battle of Troy (Rey-Vizgirdas 1). Not only did Achilles use it, but Indigenous North Americans used and use it medicinally. “Numerous tribes in North America used yarrow for a variety of ailments. The crushed plant was applied to wounds and burns. The dried leaves were used as a tea to soothe colds, fever, and headache. Yarrow beer has been brewed in Europe since the middle ages” ((Rey-Vizgirdas 1). There are so many ways to use this plant and it is also just beautiful to look at. For my family, we use it to make a salve that we can use on any outside wound. It is also a great way to keep your skin hydrated if you make it into a body butter.
Rey-Vizgirdas, Edna. “Plant of the Week: Common Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium).” United States Forest Service, https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/achillea_millefolium.shtml#:~:text=Numerous%20tribes%20in%20North%20America,Europe%20since%20the%20middle%20ages. Accessed 8 Sept. 2023.