Wild Yarrow

[Lupe WhittakerStudent]

Does anyone know if wild yarrow is safe to use? New to wildcrafting and not sure if its okay to use. (My thoughts: I know queen anns lace is a never to harvesting wildly. Is wild yarrow similar to that danger? Or is it like dandelion, obvious to use)

[Brenda FribergStudent]

Hello Lupe,

I’ve harvested and made tea and tinctures with wild yarrow and never experienced any negative side affects.

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Marshell Martin

[Dr. Patrick JonesHomestead Instructor]

As long as you know it’s yarrow, it’s a wonderful herb. The reason people are cautioned about harvesting Queen Anne’s lace in the wild isn’t because wild Queen Anne’s lace isn’t a good herb. It’s because Queen Anne’s lace has some look-alike cousins that are deadly poison.

Yarrow, has an umbrella of small white flowers. Queen Anne’s lace and her deadly cousins (and everyone else in that carrot/parsley family) have a white umbrella as well. So folks that don’t know how to tell the difference should be cautious with white umbrella flowers.

That said, yarrow really looks nothing like the carrot family if you look at the flowers and leaves and know the plant at all. Have a look at the images in the yarrow quickview. If you find THAT plant with those flowers and those leaves. It’s yarrow and will be great.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Yarrow

Queen Anne’s

Poison Hemlock (poison)

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by Dr. Patrick Jones.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by Dr. Patrick Jones.

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Marshell Martin

[Susan PohlStudent]

Thanks for the additional information!  I just wild harvested some yarrow last Summer and have been hesitant to use it!

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