Yarrow serves as an invaluable first aid plant, as the fresh leaves are remarkable in their ability to stop bleeding and inhibit bacteria growth. Strip the leaves from the stem, bruise them between your fingers and apply to the wound. The leaves can also be dried and crushed up to a fine powder, and then applied as a quick-stop bleeding powder on broken toenails and cuts. Applying tincture externally is excellent as a bruise remedy to break up and disperse blood blisters and congealed blood. A cooled tea of the plant can be used as a pain and itch relieving antiseptic rinse, and the aromatic nature of the plant may be of help in repelling fleas, mosquitoes, and biting flies.

Yarrow grows in USDA Zones 3 to 10, and prefers partial or full direct sun. A hardy, aromatic perennial is easy to grow from seed or transplants. Moderately rich, slightly acid soil and full sun yields healthy plants, which usually don’t bloom until their second year of growth. Harvest the upper third of the flowering plant (stems, leaves, and flowers) in midsummer on a dry, warm day. The plants have beautiful fern-type leaves with small clusters of white flower tops.