Wildcrafted First Aid Yarrow Salve
Yarrow salve is a natural remedy for bee stings, rashes, minor cuts, burns, and abrasions. Learn how to identify, forage and wildcraft with yarrow as well as make your own yarrow salve at home for your natural first aid kit.
Yarrow is one of my most favorite herbs to forage and wildcraft. It's easy to identify, grows abundantly across the world, and it’s extremely powerful. Yarrow is my go-to herb when I acquire cuts, burns, scrapes or rashes out in the wild or during my gardening adventures (which happens almost daily!). It has a profound ability to staunch bleeding instantly. I also love to enjoy this herb as a loose-leaf tea to abate cold and flu symptoms. The latin name for yarrow is Achillea millefolium, named after the Greek god, Achilles. It’s no wonder, too, that energetically, yarrow is a powerfully protective herb. While the tiny white flowers and fern-like leaves make it seem dainty, it’s actually incredibly resilient and hardy.
From the summer solstice onward through fall, pillow tops of yarrow’s white blooms can easily be spotted in meadows and forests, making summertime ideal for foraging and wildcrafting with yarrow. Here I’m sharing how to do that, plus how to easily craft your own first aid yarrow salve. If you’re like me and spending your summer days playing in nature, you’ll definitely want this balm close at hand.
How to Identify Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Wild yarrow is most easily identified by its small feathery leaves. The leaves are largest toward the bottom, and are arranged spirally around the woody stem. The stem is also grooved and has a slight fuzz of tiny white hairs. Yarrow leaves smell a lot like fresh pine needles. Yarrow sports a dense cluster of tiny white flowers that are flattened. Blooms last all summer. Cultivated varieties have pink, light pink, red or yellow flowers, but it’s the white flowered plant that is medicinal.
Where to Find Wild Yarrow
Common yarrow prefers sunny locations on thin, sandy soils although it can grow in partial sun conditions as well. You’ll see yarrow along roadsides, in fields, waste areas, canyon bottoms, subalpine zones and even on lawns. It grows in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa and South America.
Yarrow Look-alikes
Queen Anne’s lace is a common look-a-like that can confuse beginners because of the flat-top arrangement of white flowers. The best way to distinguish the difference is to look for the classic feathery leaves on the yarrow plant and the woody tissue stem. Additionally queen anne’s lace smells distinctly of carrots and you’ll know it if you crush the leaves.
How to Forage & wildCraft with Yarrow
Cut a few of the leaves from the base of the plants that have not flowered. To harvest the flowers, cut the entire stalk of the plant and use the leaves and flowers growing from the stem. The leaves and flowers can be hung upside down to be dried and used later, or used fresh. Oftentimes, natural products made with dried plant material yields longer self-life, but it can be less potent. Products crafted using fresh plant material creates higher potency, but can go rancid if not used within 6-12 months (or less, depending on the plant). Yarrow salve made with fresh leaves should be used within 6-8 months.
Edible Uses of Yarrow
The leaves can be consumed raw or cooked. They have a bitter flavor, but if used in small amounts they make a great addition to mixed salads. Personally, I enjoy eating the young leaves more than eating dandelion leaves. Before eating yarrow raw, be aware of the cautions associated with this plant.
Medicinal Uses of Yarrow
Yarrow is best known for its ability to staunch bleeding almost instantly when applied externally to wounds. Many times in the wild, when I’ve gotten a cut, I masticate a couple yarrow leaves between my teeth then put it directly onto my wound. I’m not exaggerating when I say that it stops bleeding immediately. When wildcrafted into an oil-infused salve it’s also a lovely balm that can soothe stings, rashes, burns, minor cuts, and abrasions - which is why it’s such an amazing herb for a natural first aid kit. When used internally, yarrow has broader effects on the circulatory system, lowering blood pressure, treating varicose veins, and as a treatment for menstrual clotting. Herbalists often use yarrow as a circulatory system aid. Yarrow tea is commonly taken for colds and flu, it can induce sweating and reduce fevers. However, there are precautions that should be taken when consuming yarrow internally.
Cautions with Yarrow
Women who are pregnant should not consume yarrow internally because it can cause bleeding. Consult a clinical herbalist or medical professional before ingesting. Yarrow is a member of the Asteraceae (daisy) family so those with allergies to aster flowers should avoid ingesting and may also experience an allergic reaction to a topical application.
First Aid Yarrow Salve
A natural remedy for stings, rashes, minor cuts, burns, and abrasions
Infusion Time: 48 hours or 4-6 weeks
Herbal Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Makes about 12 oz.
*The quantity this recipe produces makes it a great product to keep in a jar for home first aid kits, and/or to give to friends and family. Use within 6-8 months.
MATERIALS
1 1/2 to 2 cups fresh yarrow leaves and white flowers
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups jojoba oil (or any other neutral oil)
1 ounce beeswax (the more wax the more firm the salve)
TOOLS
Double boiler (or saucepan and heatproof bowl)
Salve tins (or small resealable jars)
FOLK INFUSION METHOD
Gather yarrow from a clean area that hasn't been sprayed with chemicals. Double-check that you have identified the yarrow properly before beginning this project.
Roughly chop the yarrow, filling a pint mason jar almost to the top with leaves.
Pour oil (jojoba, grape seed, or olive oil) over the yarrow leaves, then cover with the lid.
Place the jar in a sunny window for 4-6 weeks. Every few days shake up the jar. If you are using the rapid infusion method, then skip this step and instead follow the set of instructions listed below before resuming with step 5 here.
When the oil is completely infused, strain out the yarrow leaves. It should be a bright or deep green color.
Pour the infused yarrow oil into a heatproof bowl, place the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water, creating a double boiler.
Stir in the beeswax and let it slowly melt into the oil. Test the firmness of the salve by spooning out a small amount then placing the metal spoon in the freezer for 30 seconds. Then, take out the spoon and touch the salve. If you want it more firm, add more beeswax. Keep doing this until you reach your desired consistency.
Remove from heat once the beeswax is completely incorporated.
Carefully pour the oil and beeswax combination into the salve tins or a wide mouth jar. If you’d like to add 1-2 drops of essential oil into each tin, now is the time. It’s an optional step that can add fragrance.
Cover the tins with their lids and let the salve set completely before using; around 30-45 minutes.
Rapid Infusion Method
This method allows an infusion to occur within 1-2 days as opposed to 6 weeks. This is a great option if you have the equipment and you’re short on time. Between step 3 and step 5 listed above, follow these instructions:
Fill a saucepan or slow cooker with 1 inch of water. Carefully place the yarrow-and oil-filled jar on a trivet in a double boiler or in the slow cooker.
Slowly heat the water until it reaches 110 to 120 degrees. Turn off the heat.
Keep the contents of the jar incubating in the warm water. Bring the water back up to temperature periodically over the next 24 to 48 hours, never leaving the heat on for any prolonged amount of time and never allowing the water line to evaporate to less than 1/2-1 inch.
