Achillea millefolium

Achillea millefolium, commonly known as yarrow, is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere in Asia, Europe, and North America.

Description

Achillea millefolium is an erect, herbaceous, perennial plant that produces one to several stems 0.2–1 m tall, and has a spreading rhizomatous growth form. Leaves are evenly distributed along the stem, with the leaves near the middle and bottom of the stem being the largest. The leaves have varying degrees of hairiness (pubescence). The leaves are 5–20 cm long, bipinnate or tripinnate, almost feathery, and arranged spirally on the stems. The leaves are cauline and more or less clasping. The inflorescence has 4 to 9 phyllaries and contains ray and disk flowers which are white to pink. The generally 3 to 8 ray flowers are ovate to round. Disk flowers range from 15 to 40. The inflorescence is produced in a flat-topped cluster. The fruits are small achenes.

Cultivation and uses

Achillea millefolium is cultivated as an ornamental plant by many plant nurseries. It is planted in gardens and natural landscaping settings of diverse climates and styles. They are best planted in dry, sunny areas. It is also used to make a medicinal tea.

Medicinal uses

In traditional herbal medicine, Achillea millefolium was used as a remedy for various ailments. It is often used in herbal remedies for its astringent, tonic, stimulant and mild aromatic properties.

References

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