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Achillea millefolium — common yarrow

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Facts

Common yarrow has been used as a medicine, fumigant, and insecticide. It is known in traditional medicine for its ability to stop bleeding, and indeed, it contains an alkaloid called achileine that enhances blood clotting.

Habitat

Alpine or subalpine zones, anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), cliffs, balds, or ledges, meadows and fields, mountain summits and plateaus, ridges or ledges, shores of rivers or lakes

New England distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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North America distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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Characteristics

Habitat
terrestrial
New England state
  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
Leaf type
  • leaves are compound (made up of two or more discrete leaflets)
  • leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
Leaf arrangement
alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
Leaf blade edges
the edge of the leaf blade has lobes, or it has both teeth and lobes
Flower type in flower heads
the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
Ray flower color
  • pink to red
  • white
Tuft or plume on fruit
there is no plume, or the plume is made up of scales, awns, a crown, or a rim
Spines on plant
the plant has no spines
Leaf blade length
30–350 mm
Disk flower number
  • 11-20
  • 6-10
Show all characteristics

  • Flowers

    Bases of bract appendages
    NA
    Bract color
    the bracts are not colored or tinged with pink, red or purple
    Bract cycle number
    there are three or more cycles of bracts
    Bract outer side hair type
    the bracts are hairy on their outer surfaces, with curled, tangled, matted, or woolly hairs
    Bract outer side hairs
    the bracts are hairy on their outer surfaces
    Bract shape
    • the main bracts are lanceolate (widest above the base, then taper narrowly towards the tip)
    • the main bracts are ovate (egg-shaped)
    Bract spines
    the bracts have no spines
    Bract tip color
    the tips are a different color from the center of the bract
    Bract tip orientation
    the bracts are pressed against the plant, or spreading out at the tips
    Bracts
    there are at least two distinct forms of bracts in different cycles
    Disk flower color
    white
    Disk flower lobe number
    5
    Disk flower number
    • 11-20
    • 6-10
    Disk flower reproductive parts
    the disk flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
    Disk width
    2–4 mm
    Flower head number
    each flowering stem has four or more flower heads on it
    Flower head outer flowers
    at the outer edge of the flower head, each flower has a single enlarged lobe or strap
    Flower head platform
    the base has papery scales on it
    Flower head position
    some or all the flower heads are grouped in clusters of two or more
    Flower head profile
    • the disk is flat or nearly flat across the top
    • the disk is rounded across the top
    Flower head shape
    • the flower head is hemispherical (like the bottom half of a sphere)
    • the sides of the flower head are roughly parallel, like a cylinder
    Flower type in flower heads
    the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
    Height of flower head base
    4–5 mm
    Inflorescence branching (Solidago)
    NA
    Inflorescence shape
    the inflorescence is flat-topped in profile
    Inflorescence stem
    hairs are present on the stem of the inflorescence
    Number of bracts at flower head base
    20–30
    Ovary cross-section
    the ovary is compressed (flattened)
    Ovary hair type
    the ovary has no hairs on it
    Ovary hairs
    the ovary has no hairs on it
    Ovary lines or ribs
    • there are three lines or ribs visible on the ovary
    • there are two lines or ribs visible on the ovary
    Ovary profile
    • in profile, the ovary is oblong (roughly rectangular but rounded at the ends)
    • in profile, the ovary is roughly egg-shaped, but widest above the middle
    Peduncle orientation
    the flower heads are held upright, or slightly angled outwards
    Ray flower color
    • pink to red
    • white
    Ray flower reproductive parts
    the ray flowers have carpels or stamens, but not both
    Ray flowers
    • 1-5
    • 6-10
    Ray length
    1–4 mm
    Reproductive system
    some of the flowers on the plant have only carpels or stamens, while others have both carpels and stamens
    Smaller bracts at base of bracts
    there is no smaller, outer cycle of bracts
    Style branch number
    the style has two branches
    Style branches
    the style branch is wider at the tip and has a flattened end, or the style branches are wider at the tips and have flattened ends
    Width of flower head base
    2–5 mm

  • Fruits or seeds

    Number of pappus parts
    0
    Ovary length in developed fruit
    1–2 mm
    Seed hair tuft bases
    NA
    Seed hair tuft color
    NA
    Seed hair tuft details
    NA
    Seed hair tuft length
    0 mm
    Seed hair tuft tips
    NA
    Seed hairs uniform
    NA
    Seed tuft scale number
    0
    Seed tuft type
    there is no pappus on the ovary
    Top of disk flower ovary
    NA
    Tuft or plume on fruit
    there is no plume, or the plume is made up of scales, awns, a crown, or a rim

  • Glands or sap

    Leaf blade glands
    the leaf blades have no glandular (translucent) dots or scales
    Sap
    the sap is clear and watery

  • Growth form

    Growth form
    the plant has one or more free-standing stems
    Horizontal rooting stem
    • there are no stolons
    • there are stolons on some plants
    Plant lifespan
    the plant is perennial, it shows evidence of previous year's leaves, stems or stem bases
    Spines on plant
    the plant has no spines
    Underground organs
    the plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)

  • Leaves

    Hairs on underside of leaf blade
    • the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
    • the underside of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
    Hairs on upper side of leaf blade
    • the upper side of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
    • the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
    Leaf arrangement
    alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
    Leaf blade base
    • the leaf has a distinct petiole
    • the leaf has no petiole
    • the leaf has no petiole and at the base it clasps the stem, or goes all the way around the stem so the stem appears to pierce the leaf
    Leaf blade base shape
    the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
    Leaf blade bloom
    the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom
    Leaf blade edges
    the edge of the leaf blade has lobes, or it has both teeth and lobes
    Leaf blade flatness
    NA
    Leaf blade hairs
    the leaf blade has simple hairs with no glands, and not tangled or wooly
    Leaf blade length
    30–350 mm
    Leaf blade shape
    • the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
    • the leaf blade is linear (very narrow with more or less parallel sides)
    Leaf blade surface colors
    there is no noticeable color variation on the upper surface of the leaf
    Leaf blade tip
    the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
    Leaf blade width
    5–35 mm
    Leaf disposition
    the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem
    Leaf spines
    there are no spines on the leaf edges
    Leaf stalk
    • the leaves have leaf stalks
    • the leaves have no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem
    Leaf stalk length
    At least 0 mm
    Leaf tip extension
    NA
    Leaf type
    • leaves are compound (made up of two or more discrete leaflets)
    • leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
    Leaflet number
    At least 15
    Specific leaf type
    • the leaf has a row of two or more lobes on each side of the central axis
    • the leaf has a row of two or more lobes on each side of the central axis, and each lobe itself has rows of lobes on each side of the lobe's central axis
    • the leaf has lobes that themselves have lobes, and these secondary lobes also have lobes; there may be more than three levels of lobes
    • the leaf is compound, there are two or more discrete leaflets
    Teeth per side of leaf blade
    0

  • Place

    Habitat
    terrestrial
    New England state
    • Connecticut
    • Maine
    • Massachusetts
    • New Hampshire
    • Rhode Island
    • Vermont
    Specific habitat
    • alpine or subalpine zones
    • cliffs, balds, or ledges
    • man-made or disturbed habitats
    • meadows or fields
    • mountain summits and plateaus
    • ridges or ledges
    • shores of rivers or lakes

  • Scent

    Plant odor
    the plant has a pleasant odor, such as licorice, fruit or resin

  • Stem, shoot, branch

    Flowering stem cross-section
    the flowering stem is circular, or with lots of small angles
    Leaves on stem
    there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
    Stem bloom
    there is no powdery or waxy film on the stem
    Stem internode hair direction
    the hairs point mostly upwards to outwards
    Stem internode hair type
    • at least some of the hairs on the stem are tangled, matted or woolly
    • the stem has no hairs between the nodes
    Stem internode hairs
    • the stem has hairs between the nodes
    • the stem has no hairs between the nodes
    Stem wings
    the stem does not have wings on it

Wetland status

Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but occasionally in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACU)

In New England

Distribution

Connecticut
present
Maine
present
Massachusetts
present
New Hampshire
present
Rhode Island
present
Vermont
present

Conservation status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.

Connecticut
widespread (S-rank: S5)
Maine
widespread (S-rank: S5)

var. lanulosa

Connecticut
unrankable (S-rank: SU)
Massachusetts
not applicable (S-rank: SNA)

var. millefolium

Massachusetts
unranked (S-rank: SNR)

Subspecies and varieties

Our subspecies is Achillea millefolium L. ssp. lanulosa (Nutt.) Piper.

From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key

3.  Achillea millefolium L. ssp. lanulosa (Nutt.) Piper N

common yarrow. Achillea borealis Bong.; A. lanulosa Nutt.; A. millefolium L. ssp. borealis (Bong.) Breitung; A. millefolium L. var. lanulosa (Nutt.) Piper; A. millefolium L. var. nigrescens E. Mey.; A. millefolium L. ssp. occidentalis (DC.) Hyl.; A. millefolium L. var. occidentalis DC.; A. nigrescens (E. Mey.) Rydb. • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Fields, roadsides, open areas, coastal headlands, river beaches, alpine plateaus. Collections from New England appear to largely represent our native subspecies ( lanulosa). Introduced material of the Old World ssp. millefolium appear to be confined to garden settings. It is distinguished by its leaf blades 
with broader segments ± oriented in the same plane (vs. narrow segments oriented in more than 1 plane in ssp. lanulosa). More work is needed to confirm its presence as a naturalized plant. Plants identified as Achillea borealis from New England merely represent individuals that show dark margins to the involucral bracts (an ecological response to exposure).

Native to North America?

Yes

Sometimes confused with

Achillea ligustica:
mid-stem leaves usually with 10 or fewer lobes that are +/- arranged in one plane, the entire blades usually ovate in outline (vs. A. millefolium, with mid-stem leaves usually with 15 or more primary divisions that are not plane, the entire blades lanceolate to linear in outline).

Synonyms

  • Achillea borealis Bong.
  • Achillea lanulosa Nutt.
  • Achillea millefolium ssp. borealis (Bong.) Breitung
  • Achillea millefolium ssp. occidentalis (DC.) Hyl.
  • Achillea millefolium var. lanulosa (Nutt.) Piper
  • Achillea millefolium var. nigrescens E. Mey.
  • Achillea millefolium var. occidentalis DC.
  • Achillea nigrescens (E. Mey.) Rydb.

Family

Asteraceae

Genus

Achillea