Yarrow is a natural styptic that stops the bleeding of minor wounds almost instantly. Make some styptic powder from dried yarrow leaves, brew a yarrow tincture, or infuse a yarrow oil to keep this helpful herb on hand for herbal first aid.
Cuts from shaving can be annoying. Especially when you have to run to work and you’re bleeding profusely. We had an alum styptic pencil once that you moistened in water and applied to the wound to stop the bleeding. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn’t. These days we are avoiding commercial chemical products as much as possible. Yarrow powder, or yarrow tincture, both function well to stop bleeding quickly. They can also be used on bruises, to reduce and heal bruising early and quickly.
Want to know how to stop bleeding in a hurry?
A styptic is an astringent that stops bleeding. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) has the ability to stop bleeding and makes an excellent styptic. Yarrow styptic is also anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, antimicrobial, and wound healing so it is a good choice for shaving cuts, skinned knees, bleeding mosquito bites, and other minor wounds. The Latin name comes from Achilles of Greek mythology, and the tradition in Roman and Greek times of carrying yarrow for wound care.
For thousands of years, yarrow was used to staunch the bleeding from wounds inflicted during wartime. Deep wounds were packed with yarrow powder to disinfect, relieve pain, and stop the profuse bleeding. In times of war, yarrow was a lifesaver. One of its other names is Soldiers’ Woundwort (Grieves). A piece of information to keep in the back of your mind, if you are lost in the woods, and wounded. Stopping a bleeding wound is your first priority.
Summer is the time of year to make natural yarrow styptic powder when the yarrow is thriving. Keep harvested and dried leaves in a small jar for when it’s needed.
Harvesting Yarrow
Yarrow is a perennial weed growing throughout North America. When you harvest it for herbal remedies cut it off and leave 2/3rds of the plant to regrow for next year. To make an herbal styptic you are just going to use the leaves.
There are two kinds of leaves. At the base of the plant, you’ll find long fernlike leaves. Whereas growing up the stalk there are tiny fern-like leaves. To make styptic powder, you want to harvest the long fernlike leaves growing from the base of the plant. The leaves on the stem work, too, but it’s more work to harvest them.
Gather a generous handful of these longer leaves, but don’t take more than 1/3rd from any one plant. The plant needs these remaining leaves to feed the root system and store up food for winter.
Gather the leaves into a bundle and secure with an elastic band.
Hang the bundle in a dry, shady spot away from direct sunlight to dry. They will be dry in 3 to 7 days, depending on your humidity. You don’t need a dehydrator for this step unless you have more than 75% humidity.
Once the leaves are completely dry and crumbly, put them in a blender jar or the grinder attachment of a hand blender, and blend them into a fine powder. This is your styptic powder.
Keep this natural yarrow styptic powder in a small glass jar with a lid or in a tin with a lid. Label it and date it. It will last up to 5 years if kept cool and dry.
To use natural yarrow styptic powder for minor abrasions
Take a pinch of the dried powder and apply it directly to the wound. A strong scab will form mixed with the yarrow, which will drop off when new skin forms under the scab. The yarrow will staunch the bleeding, numb the pain, and act as an antiseptic.
Use it to stop a nosebleed. Just put a pinch in the nostril where the bleeding is and blow it out after the bleeding has stopped fully. Yarrow has an analgesic action, too.
Yarrow is one of those gifted herbs with so many uses. Read about yarrow’s full herbal actions here.
If you don’t have Yarrow growing near you, you can get dried yarrow flowers and leaves from Mountain Rose Herbs. Richter’s herbs do carry the seed for wild yarrow if you want to get a patch established on your homestead.
Some other ways to use yarrow:
Make yarrow tincture for fevers, cold, and flu.
Make yarrow tea to break a fever and stop the symptoms of a viral illness. Yarrow tea can also help with lingering bruising, and I have used it to lessen the effects of a minor concussion.
Make a yarrow salve to heal wounds, and relieve inflammation.
Make a tincture to lower blood pressure with yarrow and other herbs.
Find out more:
Learn more about herbal remedies and essential oils from an herbalist’s perspective in my new Book, The Beginners’ Book of Essential Oils, now available in paperback, in Kindle, or in a printable digital format. (pdf).
My sister and l got a few Yarrow plants to start here in Oklahoma but since I’m on blood thinners and stay pretty active with nicks and cuts all the time l wanted an on hand supply. l found some along one of our country roads where l ride my recumbent trike that hadn’t been sprayed by farmers yet and got a good supply initially. Went back next day to harvest more and the roadside had been totally mowed! l was so disappointed. Here it’s classed as a weed and sprayed relentlessly also.
I enjoy reading about different herbs & there healing properties some of these may not be were I’m located.
Thank you for this article, I really enjoy your posts, and am learning a lot.
I would like to make styptic powder for my teen boys, but the pkg of Yarrow I have from Starwest Botanicals is just flowers. Will this work, or do I need to find some leaves?
Yes, the flowers will work just fine.
Hi Joybilee,
My farm and home is in Texas, I was only able to get dry yarrow from a very reputable source, but it is flower and leaf. Will powdering both flower with the leaf work to stop bleeding. I love your wonderful website and wisdom.
PS. our “bibles” at the farm are
#1 “Water Cures: You are not sick you are thirsty” by Dr. Batmanghelidj, M.D.. Thousand of our customer have thank us for recommending proper hydration with Himalayan Sole and eating with Himalayan salt.
#2 “Cure Tooth Decay” book, which made a huge change in our oral health. I went to dental school for 2 1/2 years in the early 90’s and was flunked out because I failed to prescribe enough pharmaceuticals and did not do amalgam fillings requirement. Go figure. Never once were we taught that teeth could be remineralized, and toxic fluoride was treated like gold!!! What a scam. Our family have not since seen a dentist nor a doctor for over 15 years.
#3 Nourishing Tradition Cook Book.
Thanks again.
Two out of three of your books are my go-tos as well. Yes, the flower and leaf together will work just fine. Use what you have.
Chris, I absolutely love your page, your insight and knowledge. I live in northeast Arizona @ 5800′ elevation. I have found several wild herbs here including Mullin and Horehound. I will be on the lookout for Yarrow. Thank you for all you do.
This book by Michael Moore will help you find and use the best medicinal herbs in your area. I have his Medicinal Plants of the Pacific West and have learned so much about native species of herbs that I have growing here. Most herbals are from a euro-centric perspective, so a regional field guide is invaluable.
Thank you for this useful information. I picked and dried some wild yarrow recently. I also grew a cultivated strain called ProA yarrow (seeds from Richter’s) which had good germination. It’s supposed to be higher in azulene. The plants are still quite small so I haven’t picked those.
If you would like me to share some of the seed with you, I’d be happy to send some to you. (I’m in Canada, too). After all, you are sharing so much valuable knowledge with us!
Thanks for your kind offer, Wilma. I have lots of wild yarrow here.
I just read all your yarrow posts, thanks for the information. A friend sent me a bag full of yarrow and I’m excited to start working with it.
I’m glad you found it helpful, Angi. There’s so much you can do with yarrow. I’m glad it grows so abundantly around me.
Hi, Chris,
I really love your page! And am very thankful for your hints and tipps and am impressed by your enormous knowledge!
What a kind offer for a free e-book. My question: can I use it on my PC also? Because I do not have a Kindle or any other e-reader.
With sincere regards from Vienna,
Lisa
Hi, Lisa, Nice to meet you. Yes, the ebook is in pdf format, so you can read it on your pc.