| Yarrow Hydrosol by Ann Harmon Grown, distilled and presented by Celestial Body Aromatherapy 21298 Pleasant Hill Road Boonville, MO 65233 660-882-6858 www.Celestialbody.com Latin Binomial: Achillea millefolium Plant Family: Asteraceae {Compositae} Parts used: Flowering Tops Hydrosol extracted: Steam Distillation using a copper still. Yarrow Wildcrafted in Boonville, MO Yarrow photography are hand picked and distilled fresh Yarrow grows all over the U.S. in field and roadsides. An American ditch weed, brought over from Europe. The photography are mostly white in dense, flat, small flower clusters growing above the fern and feather like leaves. Its Latin name millefolium translates to “thousand leaves”. Achillea for the Greek God Achilles, a hero who used Yarrow to treat the wounds of his soldier during the Trojan war. When distilled a beautiful pale blue hydrosol is supplied the azulene very noticeable. There is a thin layer of royal blue essential oil that slowly becomes part of this hydrosol making these waters very therapeutic. The initial puffs of scent from the stills condenser are reminiscent of a rich, ripe banana and build to a more dry herbaceous scent. Achillea millefolium is an age old herbal medicine and its hydrosol may be used for a wide variety of complaints including fever, kidney stones, respiratory infections, digestion, rheumatism, most skin problems. Yarrow is hormone balancing and helpful from menstruation through menopause. Its hydrosol take the itch out of about everything! Its actions are anti inflammatory, anti- pyretic, antiseptic, astringent, anti rheumatic, anti spasmodic, carminative, diaphoretic, digestive, expectorant, stomachic, and tonic. Yarrow hydrosol is being tested for its anti-oxidant properties now, but its effect on psoriasis and eczema require no further testing. Alone Yarrow stops the itching on contact, calms the inflammation and helps heal the basal layers of the skin leaving them less raw and painful when exposed. Yarrow should be your first choice for insect and spider bites, poison ivy, rashes and all else that gives you the itch. Sprits undiluted on adults where needed [dilute with water 25% to 50% if you feel the need to]. For acne spritz area daily or add 1 table spoon to a basin of water and splash 20 times. Great first aid for wounds. Wash wound with hydrosol, helps to stop the bleeding. Use in daily treatment for wounds that will not heal. Lay compresses of Yarrow hydrosol on varicose veins and cuperose. Use in a spritz bathe for hemorrhoids and after child birth. For digestion and harmone balancing add a tablespoon a day to diet and sprits face or body often. The scent of Yarrow Hydrosol is unusual. If you aren’t crazy for the scent mix it with other hydrosols or add a drop or two of a pleasing essential oil. Add the unique scent of yarrow to an aromatic misting blend. Yarrow has a long history of meta-physical purposes. Used in the ‘I Ching’ 5000 years ago. The ancient Greeks used Achillea millefolium for divination and spells. Used in Witchcraft through out history. In the middle ages yarrow was called Devils Nettle and Devils plaything used to “give the sight”, women sewed Yarrow photography into their pillows to see their future husbands. Also used by Achilles in the Trojan war to heal his soldiers by crushing the Yarrow leaves and placing it on their wound to stop bleeding. BIBLIOGRAPHY The Aromatic News, published by The Aromatic Plant Project, San Francisco, Ca. Notes on Hydrosol 2001 by Jeanne Rose, Summer 2001 The Aromatherapy Journal, Indigenous Canadian essential oils and hydrosols by Suzanne Catty, NAHA Spring 2001 Foster and Duke. Field Guide to medicinal plants, Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, MA Deneson, Edgar. Missouri Wildphotography . 1998 MO. Dept. of Conservation Lawless, Julia. The Illustrated encyclopedia of Essential Oils. Element, Rockport, MA |