Yarrow tea, made from the Achillea millefolium plant, has been used for centuries to calm the body and support healing. From easing digestion to soothing inflammation, this herbal tea is making a comeback. This useful plant can also be infused to make yarrow salve, my favorite way of soothing bug bites!
Yarrow tea isn't the type of tea you'll want to cozy up to with your favorite book. If you're looking for that experience, try my lavender tea blend or my pineapple weed tea!
Yarrow tea can be bitter, especially if you use too much or steep it for too long. It's typically drunk for its medicinal value, in small quantities. In this post, we’ll cover the top benefits, how to brew it, and what to know before drinking yarrow tea.
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What Is Yarrow?
Yarrow is a hardy perennial native to temperate regions across the Northern Hemisphere. Its feathery leaves and clusters of tiny white, yellow, pink, or red flowers are easily recognizable. It has been used for centuries in cultures around the world, for everything from wound healing, digestive support and relief of menstrual cramps.
Legend has it that Achilles, the Greek hero, used yarrow to treat the wounds of his soldiers—hence the name Achillea. But you don’t need to be a warrior to benefit from this powerful plant.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Yarrow: Dried flowers and leaves, ½ teaspoon per cup
- Honey: Or your favorite sweetener
- Optional Mix Ins: Mint, chamomile, lemon, or lavender
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Brew Yarrow Tea
- Pick yarrow, then strip feathery leaves and flowers from the stem. Rinse lightly and dry in the sun or use a dehydrator on its lowest setting.
- Add ½ teaspoon of dried yarrow in a tea infuser per 1 cup of hot water or up to 1 tsp, if it's not your first time drinking it.
Pro tip: To brew yarrow tea by the pot, place 2 teaspoons of dried yarrow in a teapot and cover with 4 cups of hot water. Steep for 5 minutes, then strain. Store in the fridge to sip throughout the week.
- Steep for 5 minutes, then strain. Start by drinking only ½ cup to see how you tolerate it.
- Enjoy with honey or your favorite sweetener.
Pro Tip: Yarrow tea can be bitter, especially if using old yarrow, or if it's brewed too long or too strong. If the bitterness is too strong for your palate, try blending it with chamomile, pineapple weed (wild chamomile), mint, and honey.
Yarrow Traditional Uses
Yarrow tea isn’t just folklore in a cup; it’s backed by generations of practical use and some promising research. Here are some key benefits:
- Digestive Aid: Yarrow is known to support healthy digestion, helping to relieve bloating, gas, and mild cramping.
- Anti-inflammatory: The plant contains flavonoids and other compounds that may help reduce inflammation.
- Immune Support: Traditionally used to break fevers by inducing sweating, yarrow can be a comforting tea when under the weather.
- Menstrual Relief: Yarrow has been used to help regulate menstrual cycles and ease menstrual discomfort.
- Wound Healing (Externally): Yarrow also has antiseptic properties when used topically. This includes making a poultice with the leaves to stop bleeding and provide itch relief or making a salve to use on rashes and bug bites.
Yarrow is rich in flavonoids, phenolic acids (e.g., chlorogenic acid, luteolin, caffeic acid), and sesquiterpene lactones—compounds shown to scavenge free radicals, reduce inflammation, and provide antioxidant benefits (mdpi.com)
A 2024 review of six clinical studies confirmed that A. millefolium can reduce both menstrual pain and bleeding, likely via flavonoid-induced prostaglandin inhibition and smooth muscle effects (Journal of Midwife and Reproductive Health)
Foraging Yarrow: A Note of Caution
While yarrow is generally considered safe for most adults when used occasionally and in moderate amounts, it’s always best to consult with a healthcare provider before adding any new herb to your routine, especially if you're pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
Some people may be allergic to yarrow, especially if they have allergies to plants in the Asteraceae family (like ragweed or daisies).
- Know your plant: Yarrow has toxic look-alikes like poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) and water hemlock (Cicuta spp.). A mistake can be deadly.
- Check your location: Never harvest near roadsides, industrial zones, or areas exposed to pesticides.
- Harvest responsibly: Take only what you need, avoid damaging roots, and always leave enough for the ecosystem to thrive.
- When in doubt—buy it: If you're unsure about identifying plants in the wild, it's safest to purchase dried yarrow from a certified herbal supplier.
Always consult an expert or a reliable field guide before consuming any wild plant. I prefer Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies. I am not a licensed botanist, herbalist, or medical professional, and I cannot be held responsible for any adverse reactions or outcomes resulting from foraging or consuming yarrow.
Pro Tips
- Blending yarrow with other teas also helps broaden the benefits without increasing the dose of yarrow.
- If you're new to foraging, consider taking a local plant ID course or going out with an experienced herbalist.
- Start with ½ cup per day, using ½ teaspoon of dried herb. Gradually work up to 1 cup max per day if well-tolerated.
- To preserve delicate volatile oils, use hot, not boiling water (~90°C / 195°F). Steep for 5–7 minutes, covered (to trap essential oils).
- Yarrow can be mildly stimulating for some people—best enjoyed during the day or early evening.
- Keep dried yarrow in an airtight container, away from light and heat. Store for up to 1 year.
FAQ
Yarrow tea is a mild, earthy tea with floral hints. It can taste bitter if steeped too long or too strongly.
Yarrow tea is not considered safe during pregnancy and should be avoided unless specifically advised by a qualified healthcare provider.
Besides making tea with yarrow, the plant can be used to make extracts, tinctures, and salves. It also calms rashes and itching, especially from bug bites.
More Foraging Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Yarrow Tea: Sip, Soothe, Repeat
Equipment
- 1 tea pot
- Dehydrator (optional)
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon yarrow flowers and leaves (dried)
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 teaspoon honey (or more)
Instructions
- Pick yarrow, then strip feathery leaves and flowers from the stem. Rinse lightly and dry in the sun or use a dehydrator on its lowest setting.
- Add ½ teaspoon of dried yarrow in a tea infuser per 1 cup of hot water or up to 1 tsp, if it's not your first time drinking it.
- Steep for 5 minutes, then strain. Start by drinking only ½ cup to see how you tolerate it.
- Enjoy with honey or your favorite sweetener.
Notes
- To brew yarrow tea by the pot, place 2 teaspoons of dried yarrow in a teapot and cover with 4 cups of hot water. Steep for 5 minutes, then strain. Store in the fridge to sip on throughout the week.
- Yarrow tea can be bitter, especially old yarrow, or if it's brewed too long or too strongly. If the bitterness is too strong for your palate, try blending it with chamomile, pineapple weed (wild chamomile), mint, and honey.
- Blending yarrow with other teas also helps broaden the benefits without increasing the dose of yarrow.
- If you're new to foraging, consider taking a local plant ID course or going out with an experienced herbalist.
- Start with ½ cup per day, using ½ teaspoon of dried herb. Gradually work up to 1 cup max per day if well-tolerated.
- To preserve delicate volatile oils, use hot, not boiling water (~90°C / 195°F). Steep for 5–7 minutes, covered (to trap essential oils).
- Yarrow can be mildly stimulating for some people—best enjoyed during the day or early evening.
- Keep dried yarrow in an airtight container, away from light and heat. Store for up to 1 year.
Sarah R says
Such good knowledge!
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks, Sarah! I appreciate the feedback. 🙂