Yarrow helps allergy sufferers, is a cleanser and diuretic. Yarrow has a creeping rhizome, erect, downy stems, with soft pungent, finely divided leaves and dense, flat, white or pink-tinged flower heads from summer to autumn. The peppery leaf is finely chopped into salads and with the flowers, used to flavor liquers. The flowering tops are a digestive and cleansing tonic and a diuretic and are used to reduce high blood pressure.
Fresh leaves arrest bleeding and are applied as a poultice to wounds or placed on shaving cuts.
Flowers treat eczema and catarrh from allergies. Flower essential oil treats colds, flu, and inflamed joints. Native Americans used a root decoction to strengthen muscles. Overuse can make the skin sensitive to sunlight, and it should be taken in small doses. Avoid during pregnancy.