Yarrow is a wildflower that grows in the American West and is close to our hearts as hikers and gardeners, but it's also been used medicinally around the globe for centuries.

Its Latin name, Achillea Millefolium, has roots in Greek mythology. Achilles was the mortal son of a nymph who feared losing him so she dipped him in an herbal bath to make him invincible. She gripped him tightly by his heel not realizing she left him vulnerable in the one spot where he was not bathed in yarrow.

As a great solider and hero of the Trojan war, Achilles took yarrow with him to clot wounds of his soldiers on the battlefield. As the myth goes, Achilles' demise came when an arrow pierced him in the heel.

Today, modern medicine has shown that yarrow contains antibiotic compounds and can help stop the flow of blood. Other traditional uses of yarrow incllude making teas for improving digestion or anxiety. 

Other benefits: yarrow is pest-resistant, drought-resistant, attracts butterflies and is excellent for cutting and drying. We're obviously fans.