" I will catch the beautiful Achillea, that my braver will be my hand, that my lips will be warmer, that my foot will be quicker; May I be an island for the sea, may I be a rock on earth, that I can afflict every man, no man can afflict me. " Celtic chant.
THEAchillea millefolium is a rhizomatous plant belonging to the family of Asteraceae, which boasts over 100 species, of which about 20 are present in Italy!
It takes its name from the characteristic very long, jagged and finely divided leaves, so as to seem a thousand.
It is a perennial plant with erect stem, between 30 and 60 centimeters high. It produces characteristics pinkish-white flowers umbrella crops, hermaphrodites and more precisely the ray flowers are feminine; while those of the central disc are bisexual.
It is very common in all Italian meadows both in the plains and in the mountains, so much so that it is considered a weed.
The drug is extracted from the flowering tops once dried, collected in their balsamic period in July and August. Its leaves, stem and seeds still have healing properties.
IMPORTANT: the plant can be harvested in its entirety by cutting it a few centimeters from the ground, never tear it from the ground!
ACTIVE PRINCIPLES
Contains terpene compounds (such as cineol, pinene, thujone, borneol), azulene, flavonoids (quercetin, rutin), sterols, tannins, achilleine, mucilage, valeric acid, phosphates and potassium salts.
ITS THOUSAND PROPERTIES
THEAchillea millefolium it has numerous properties, it is in fact used as antiemorragico, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, eupeptic digestive, diuretic, hemostatic, hypotensive e soothing instead of chamomile.
EXTERNAL USE
Its infusion can be used in flu and feverish states such as antipyretic and expectorant, but also to regulate menstrual cycles, relieve anxiety and menopausal disorders, and as a digestive.
INTERNAL USE
Her hemostatic properties make it the ideal plant to use on wounds and for hemorrhoids as an antibacterial, cicatrizing and antihemorrhagic.
IN THE KITCHEN
The long finely chopped leaves can be used to flavor salads.
Thanks to its eupeptic and bittering properties, it is used for the production of digestive liqueurs.
Its seeds, enclosed in a bag, are a valid aid for the storage of wine in cask.
A GLASS OF WINE A DAY ... WINE OF Achillea millefolium
macerate 50 g of Achillea (flowering tops) for 10 days in 1 l of dry white wine. After this period, filter and keep in the bottle.
Take a shot before or after meals for digestive disorders.
Use two small glasses a day between meals in case of poor or painful menstruation, hemorrhoids and varicose veins.
THE LANGUAGE OF PLANTS
In the language of plants and flowers, theAchillea millefolium it does not have a pleasant and joyful meaning as it symbolizes war and pain due to its constant presence on the battlefields.
CURIOSITY
Its name derives from Achilles, a Greek hero, who seems to have used this plant to soothe his wounds and those of his soldiers after the battles!
It is also known as sanguine, soldier's grass or wound grass, thanks to its use to heal war wounds.
In France it is also called Ciglia di Venere for its characteristic leaves.
In China its filaments are used to predict the future by means of the composition of the Ching diagram.
In Ireland the plant was instead an aid to drive away the evil eye and diseases as well as for beauty care.
Union BIO, used for years in the research and development of natural products, uses this plant creating synergistic formulations in which the Achillea Millefolium takes on a fundamental character in the line dedicated to our skin dog, of our cat and ours horse riding.
Natural? Yes it can!
Photo: rooms, Great in the garden, Frank Mayfield, Andrey Zharkikh
