MOTHER'S HERB GARDEN

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It was Chiron, the learned centaur of Greek mythology, who taught Achilles to use crushed yarrow leaves to stanch bleeding. In the shadow of Troy, the young warrior healed the wounds of his fighting men with this herb. The Greeks recalled the association when they named the plant achilleios — "of Achilles" — which later inspired the Latin genus name Achillea. The finely divided, fernlike leaves suggested the relatively straightforward species name, millefolium, or "thousand leaves." The plant's common names, soldier's woundwort and milfoil, also call attention to yarrow's two most outstanding characteristics.

This member of the Compositae, or daisy, family has much in common with its close cousin chamomile. Both are found worldwide, and both contain an oil that is responsible for the antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antispasmodic properties of these useful plants.

The flowering stalks of yarrow can be dried and used in a hot, strong tea to promote sweating during dry fevers, while a room-temperature tea is said to relieve indigestion, especially when brewed in combination with chamomile and peppermint. American Indians used the roots of this perennial as an anesthetic and the fresh or dried leaves as an eyewash and soothing ointment for earaches and sore nipples. The English used yarrow as a substitute for hops in beer, and the Chinese cast the cut and dried stems for I Ching readings.

In accordance with an old custom, young women of the British Isles tickled their noses with yarrow sprays, singing "Yarroway, yarroway, bear a white blow/ If my lover loves me, my nose will bleed now." (Given yarrow's reputation as a styptic, those who participated in this ritual must have been disappointed.)

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