According to ancient Greek mythology, Thetis, the mother of legendary Greek hero Achilles, used yarrow to make her son nearly invincible, leaving only his heel vulnerable. Achilles himself is said to have used yarrow to treat his soldiers' wounds during the Trojan War. This highlights yarrow's traditional use in healing, particularly staunching the flow of blood. Its leaves have been used in tea to treat fever, common colds, hay fever, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and gastrointestinal discomfort. Yarrow grows in dry soil, and its delicate fern-like foliage and clusters of tiny flowers decorate prairies, meadows, and forest edges throughout the northern hemisphere.
Growth Form: Grows 1-3 ft high, spreading
Light: Full to part sun
Water: Drought tolerant once established
Soil: Well-drained loam
Hardiness: USDA zones 3-10, Sunset zones 1-24
Maintenance: Periodically use a garden fork or tiller to loosen soil to about 12-15 inches deep, then mix in a 2-4 inch layer of compost