I was first introduced to yarrow as an ornamental . It was a pretty flower that looked like Queen Anne’s Lace and had intriguing feathery foliage. Then I discovered that it was a native plant. That guaranteed it a place in my borders. Native plants are always my first choice for garden plants. As I learned more about beneficial insects, I realized that yarrow’s tiny flowers were perfect for beneficials.

Meanwhile, I kept seeing it mentioned as an herb. I couldn’t figure out why. You don’t cook with it. I had never heard of any medicinal uses for it. I knew the flowers could be dried and used in dried flower arrangements, but it didn’t have to be an herb for that.

So why is it considered an herb? A little digging revealed that in the past, yarrow has been used both as a culinary herb and a medicinal herb. It’s even used by the birds! Check out my article on yarrow to discover some of its surprising uses.