This sweet-smelling flower has a whole host of different names, several relating to its old military use in staunching the flow of blood from wounds: Bloodwort, Staunchweed, Herbe Militaris, and Knight’s Milfoil. The Latin genus name Achillea Millfolium relates to such a use by Achilles in Greek mythology.
Its feathery leaves give rise to names like Milfoil and Thousand Weed; whilst the name Nosebleed relates to its old use in both stopping or starting nosebleeds! It spreads using rhizomes – horizontal underground stems spreading out from the mother plant, from which roots grow downwards and stems up. It is popular with insects including beetles, moth larvae and pollinators (plant it in your garden to attract butterflies). Several cavity-nesting birds, including Starlings, line their nests with Yarrow, possibly because it inhibits the growth of parasites.
Photos by Neil Griffin and Pixabay
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