There are whole legends about the beneficial properties of yarrow. Indeed, this plant has a lot of useful properties. It has been known since ancient times, but even now it has not lost its relevance for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. There are also many medicines based on yarrow. The article will discuss what this plant is, what it is used for, where yarrow grows and much more.
General characteristics of the plant
So, let's start the story about what is yarrow. This is a fairly extensive genus of plants that appeared in ancient times. It belongs to the Astrov family. Sometimes you can hear their other name - Compositae. The genus is subdivided into countless species, there are about 100 of them in total.
I wonder what the plant itself looks like? Yarrow is a perennialherbs, sometimes even subshrubs that have rhizomes. The plant has a straight stem, but sometimes there are instances in which it is slightly curved. Yarrow leaves have a toothed shape. Inflorescences are small baskets that together form a large inflorescence.
Many people are also interested in this question: where does the yarrow grow? Most of the species are known to be native to Eurasia, some of which were first seen in North America. This plant, as already mentioned, has long been used for medicinal purposes.
Origin of the name
Interestingly, since ancient times, the yarrow has been surrounded by a lot of stories and legends. It is believed that Achilles, the famous ancient Greek hero, used this plant to heal the severe wounds of his soldiers. Perhaps that is why the yarrow has the name Achillea. Among the people, it also had many different names, for example, "yarrow of the knights", "consumptive grass" and many others. Thus, it becomes clear that it was used to treat not only wounds, but also many other ailments.
There is another interesting fact. In most cases, the ancient Romans planted yarrow near their military settlements. After major battles, they were treated for wounds. It was also often possible to find this plant near the workshops of artisans and workers. In case of injury, the first thing people did was apply a bandage of leaves to the sore spot. Thus, it was always possible to understand thatthe place where the yarrow grows, it appeared not by chance.
Plant varieties
Yarrow includes a lot of species. Each of them has features and has its own characteristic properties.
For example, such a species as naked yarrow is well known. It is rare and occurs only in strictly defined places. Under natural conditions, it can only be seen in the reserve called "Stone Graves". It is also grown in several botanical gardens. In nature, it grows on granite rocks. You can find both a single plant and a whole group scattered along the slopes.
Perhaps the most common species is the common yarrow. Actually, this becomes clear from its name. It is the type species of the entire genus. Unlike the previous yarrow that we examined, this variety is very common. It grows mainly in Europe and Asia. In Russia, such a yarrow is found in almost all regions. A photo of this plant variety can be seen in our article (below).
What other species can be found?
So, we have listed several species, but completely forgot to mention one of them. This is a noble yarrow. Undoubtedly, it is of particular interest for many reasons. Now it is worth talking about it in more detail. It, like the common yarrow, has a huge amount of medicinal properties. yarrownoble blooms almost all summer, from June to August. It can be found almost throughout Russia.
We have not considered another interesting species of this plant - yarrow. It is also a perennial, its flowering time is from July to September. Most often found in the European part of our country, sometimes in Siberia and the Far East.
Thus, we examined the main types of such a wonderful plant as yarrow. Photos of many of them can be found in various medical sources, encyclopedias and other materials. And now it's time to take a closer look at the places where you can see this plant.
Where the yarrow grows: a detailed excursion
Of course, this question cannot be answered unequivocally, since each of the species has its own range. Let's try to talk about each variety separately. For example, yarrow prefers rather damp places. Most often grows in swamps, near water bodies, as well as on their banks. Interestingly, it can be both fresh and brackish water.
Yarrow prefers slightly different places. It is common in forests and steppes. Also found in the forest-steppe zone. Often this plant can be seen along roads, on the edges of forests, among shrubs, along the banks of reservoirs, in ravines, meadow steppes, on the outskirts of fields and in many other places. It is also found in settlements.
As for yarrow, it prefers places likesteppe slopes, roads.
Where is yarrow used?
As already mentioned, the plant has long been used for medicinal purposes. It is known that it has a positive effect in the fight against inflammation, and also kills various bacteria. It also has an antispasmodic effect. Sometimes yarrow is recommended for the treatment of burns. This plant is often included in various collections that increase appetite and contribute to the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, yarrow is also used in collections that help with neurosis, angina pectoris and other diseases. It is also used as a sedative. For these purposes, special collections are made, which include yarrow leaves along with nettle, plantain and other plants. Often it is added to hair masks and various cosmetics.
Thus, we got acquainted with the beneficial properties of this plant. Now it becomes clear how important it is and how wide its scope is.
