common yarrow
Achillea millefolium · Accepted scientific name
Scientific literature: Very Extensive (1406 studies) · ★★★★★
Common yarrow, scientifically known as Achillea millefolium, is a versatile perennial herb celebrated for its healing properties. Renowned since antiquity, this plant features feathery foliage and clusters of daisy-like flowers. It is widely utilized in traditional medicine to support wound healing, reduce inflammation, and soothe digestive discomfort naturally.
Names
Common Names
- yarrow
- Milfoil
- common yarrow
- northern yarrow
- arrowroot
- bad man's plaything
- bloodwort
- carpenter's weed
- death flower
- devil's nettle
- devil's plaything
- dog daisy
- dog fennel
- eerie
- field hop
- gordaldo
- hundred leaved grass
- knight's milfoil
- knyghten
- nosebleed plant
- old man's mustard
- old man's pepper
- plumajillo
- sanguinary
- seven-year's love
- snake's grass
- soldier
- soldier's woundwort
- staunchweed
- thousand seal
- thousand-leaf
- thousand-seal
- western yarrow
- white yarrow
Regional and Traditional Names
Spanish:
- Achillea puberula
- Hierba de aquiles
- Achillea bicolor
- Achillea virgata
- Achillea subhirsuta
- Achillea ambigua
- Achillea occidentalis
- Yerba del rinón
- Milflores
- Achillea dentifera
- Perejil bravio
- Mielenrama
- Milifolio
- Achillea millefolium var pedemontana
- Achillea millefolium var. pedemontana
- Abrofia
- Achillea seidlii
- Achillea crassifolia
- Achillea megacephala
- Hierba del militar
- Flor de pujo
- Ciento en rama
- Achillea tenuifolia
- Achillea ossica
- Achillea alpicola
- Achillea eradiata
- Flor del soldado
- Camomila de los montes
- Yerba del riñon
- Milfolio
- Achillea subalpina
- Milefolio
- Milrayas
- Achillea setacea
- Achillea tenuifolia var. albicaulis
- Pelo de burro
- Achillea sordida
- Colchón de pobre
- Achillea lanata
- Alitubus millefolium
- Milinraya
- Achillea lanulosa
- Mil hojas
- Colchon de pobre
- Achillea pannonica f. laxa
- Cañimana
- Achillea nabelekii
- Achillea gigantea
- Achillea fusca
- Achillea rosea
- Yerba de Aquiles
- Achillea pseudotanitifolia
- Yerba del rinon
- Achillea tanacetifolia
- Achillea millefolilium
- Chamaemelum tanacetifolium
- Achillea gracilis
- Mil en rama de flor roja
- Hierba de las cortaduras
- Camamila de la Sierra
- Hierba de las cortadas
- Achillea pannonica
- Achillea laxiflora
- Achillea sylvatica
- Achillea cristata
- Achillea angustissima
- Achillea submillefolium
- Achillea pumila
- Anthemis millefolium
- Espuma de la leche
- Mil hojas de España
- Yerba del riñón
- Achillea arenicola
- Canimana
- Milefolio vulgar
- Achillea magna
- Achillea cuspidata
- Achillios millefoliatus
- Achillea californica
- Achillea albida
- Maquilea
- Achillea coronopifolia
- Achillea compacta
- Achillea pratensis
- Achillea ceretanica
- Mil hojas de Espana
- Perejil bravío
- Achillea nigrescens
- Camamila de monte
- Achillea intermedia
- Chamaemelum millefolium
- Milrosas
- Achillea anethifolia
- Achillea marginata
- Achillea tenuis
- Achillea haenkeana
- Flor de pluma
- Milinrama
- Achillea palmeri
- Achillea pecten-veneris
- Achillea serpentini
- Milrrosas
- Milramas
- Flores mil
- Achillea pacifica
- Achillea ochroleuca
- Milenrama
- Milenrama
- Ciprés de Judea
- Ciprés de invierno
- Ciprés de perla
- Milenrama eurasiática
- Sereno de invierno
- Abrofia
German:
- Gemeine Schafgarbe
- Wiesen-Schafgarbe
- Gewöhnliche Wiesen-Schafgarbe
- Wiesenschafgarbe
- achillée mille-feuilles
- Achillée Millefeuille
- Gewöhnliche Schafgarbe
- Gewöhnliche Schafgarbe
- Schafgarbe
- Wiesen-Schafgarbe
- Gewöhnliche Wiesen-Schafgarbe
- Gewoehnliche Wiesen-Schafgarbe
- Gemeine Schafgarbe
French:
- Achillée millefeuille
- Achillée mille-feuilles
- Millefeuille
- Herbe-à-Dinde
- Mille-Feuille
- achillée millefeuille
- herbe à dindes
- herbe à dindons
- Herbe-à-Dinde
- Mille-Feuille
- achillée boréale
- herbe à dinde
- Achillee millefeuille
Scientific Names
Accepted name
Achillea millefoliumSynonyms
- Chamaemelum millefolium
- Alitubus millefolium
- Santolina millefolium
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, placing it within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is further classified under the order Asterales and the family Asteraceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Achillea.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Asterales | WCVP |
| Family | Asteraceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Achillea | WCVP |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad presence across several northern regions of Europe. In the northern reaches of the continent, it can be found growing throughout Denmark and Finland. Its distribution also extends to the rugged landscapes of Iceland and the Faroe Islands. Additionally, the species is commonly documented across Great Britain. These locations collectively highlight the plant's preference for northern European climates.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Denmark | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Finland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Føroyar | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Iceland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Ireland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Norway | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Sweden | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Austria | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Belgium | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as yarrow, is a versatile medicinal herb where various components offer different therapeutic benefits. The feathery, finely divided leaves are highly characteristic and are often used in herbal preparations for their astringent properties. The plant features delicate, white or pinkish flowers that are arranged in dense, flat-topped inflorescences, which serve as a key identifying feature in the field. While the aerial portions are most frequently harvested, the root can also be utilized in specific traditional remedies. Ultimately, many herbalists prefer using the whole plant to ensure a full spectrum of its active phytochemical constituents.| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| flowers | Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| leaves | Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| inflorescences | Veterinary research forum : an international quarterly journal (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| root | Plants (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Essential Oil | Journal of pharmacopuncture (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Herb | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Leaf | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Leaves | Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aerial parts | Biological trace element research (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aerial parts with flowers | Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Achillea millefolium has 287 reported phytochemicals identified across 25 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include apigenin, CHLOROGENIC ACID, luteolin, CU, FE.
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| apigenin | Dr. Duke (and other 9 sources) | ★★★★☆ |
| CHLOROGENIC ACID | Dr. Duke (and other 6 sources) | ★★★☆☆ |
| luteolin | Dr. Duke (and other 6 sources) | ★★★☆☆ |
| CU | Arhiv za higijenu rada i toksikologiju (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| FE | Biological trace element research (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Flavonoids | Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| MN | Biological trace element research (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| RUTIN | Dr. Duke (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| camphor | Dr. Duke (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| polyphenols | Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
Activities
Achillea millefolium has 847 reported activities identified across 25 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Antimicrobial, Anticancer, Hepatoprotective.
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | Dr. Duke (and other 14 sources) | ★★★★★ |
| Antibacterial | Dr. Duke (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | Dentistry journal (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | Dr. Duke (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Hepatoprotective | Dr. Duke (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Hypotensive | Dr. Duke (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Anthelmintic | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiallergic | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiatherosclerotic | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antihepatotoxic | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Achillea millefolium has 88 reported medicinal uses identified across 25 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include inflammation, Staphylococcus aureus, malaria, pneumonia, wounds.
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| inflammation | Journal of medicinal food (and other 5 sources) | ★★★☆☆ |
| Staphylococcus aureus | BMC chemistry (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| malaria | The Journal of membrane biology (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| pneumonia | Plants (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| wounds | Microbial pathogenesis (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Plasmodium falciparum | Acta biochimica Polonica (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| abscesses | Dentistry journal (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| allergic contact dermatitis | Contact dermatitis (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cough | The Journal of membrane biology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| gingivitis | Dentistry journal (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Preparations
| Preparations | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| extracts | Antonie van Leeuwenhoek (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| essential oil | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflorescences alcoholic extract | Veterinary research forum : an international quarterly journal (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| A. millefolium extract | Hepatology forum (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| AAMS extracts | Saudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| AMEO ointments | Journal of pharmacopuncture (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Achillea millefolium essential oil | Journal of pharmacopuncture (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| AmIV extracts | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| AmL and AmH extracts | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Extracts | Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |