How to Make Yarrow Tincture Recipe & Medicinal Uses
Yarrow tincture recipe: Learn to make yarrow tincture at home with simple ingredients and discover its amazing medicinal uses for natural healing.
Our pastures and fields are scattered with yarrow. At the very beginning of my herbalism journey, I had no idea that yarrow flowers had so many medicinal properties, or that I could make a yarrow herb tincture at home, myself, and with only a few ingredients that I already have on hand. This year, I was very excited to get out there and collect as many yarrow plants as I could. I dehydrated some to make yarrow tea, and the rest I made into an herbal tincture.
Consult a healthcare provider before using yarrow tincture; this information is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Yarrow tincture is incredibly easy to make. All you need are yarrow flowers and alcohol.
- Making a potent tincture is a great way of preserving a plant & it’s medicinal properties for later use, when you or your family need it.
- Yarrow has so many medicinal properties and yarrow tincture is incredibly versatile
Medicinal Properties of Yarrow Tincture
- Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is a herbaceous plant with many medicinal properties, particularly when used in tincture form. Here are some of the medicinal properties and uses of yarrow tincture:
- Anti-inflammatory: Yarrow tincture has its anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce inflammation in various parts of the body.
- Antimicrobial: It has antimicrobial properties, making it useful for treating infections, both internally and externally.
- Digestive Aid: Yarrow tincture can stimulate appetite and improve digestion. It is sometimes used to relieve gastrointestinal discomfort and gas.
- Wound Healing: Yarrow tincture can stop bleeding and promote wound healing. It has astringent properties that help tighten tissues and reduce bleeding.
- Menstrual Support: It alleviates menstrual cramps and regulates menstrual flow. Yarrow is also believed to help with symptoms of menopause.
- Circulatory Support: Yarrow tincture improves circulation and alleviates symptoms associated with poor circulation.
- Immune Support: It is thought to have immune-boosting properties, helping the body fight off infections.
- Respiratory Health: Yarrow tincture is used in some traditional systems to treat respiratory conditions such as coughs and bronchitis.
- Skin Care: It can be applied topically to soothe skin irritations, rashes, and minor cuts.
- Urinary Tract Health: Yarrow is sometimes used to support urinary tract health and alleviate symptoms of urinary tract infections.
Practical Uses of Yarrow Tincture
- Minor Cuts and Scrapes: Apply diluted yarrow tincture to clean minor cuts and scrapes to help stop bleeding and promote healing.
- Menstrual Cramps: Take a few drops of yarrow tincture diluted in water to alleviate menstrual cramps and regulate menstrual flow.
- Digestive Issues: Use yarrow tincture before meals to stimulate appetite and aid digestion, helping with bloating and gastrointestinal discomfort.
- Cold and Flu Symptoms: Take yarrow tincture at the onset of cold or flu symptoms to boost the immune system and reduce fever.
- Skin Irritations: Apply diluted yarrow tincture to rashes, insect bites, or minor skin irritations to soothe and reduce inflammation.
- Respiratory Support: Use yarrow tincture to alleviate symptoms of mild respiratory conditions such as coughs and bronchitis by diluting it in warm water and drinking.
- Urinary Tract Infections: Take yarrow tincture as a supportive measure to alleviate symptoms of mild urinary tract infections and promote urinary tract health.
- Varicose Veins: Apply diluted yarrow tincture topically to areas with varicose veins to improve circulation and reduce discomfort.
- Headaches: Take yarrow tincture at the onset of a headache for its potential anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects.
- Wound Care: Use yarrow tincture as part of a wound care regimen to clean and disinfect wounds, promoting faster healing.
How to Administer Yarrow Tincture
- Internal Use: Typically, yarrow tincture is diluted in water and taken orally.
- External Use: For external applications, yarrow tincture can be diluted and applied to the skin using a clean cloth or cotton pad. It’s often used for wound care and skin conditions.
Precautions
- Allergies: Individuals with allergies to plants in the Asteraceae family (such as ragweed) should use yarrow with caution, as they may experience allergic reactions.
- Drug Interactions: Yarrow may interact with certain medications, so it’s essential to consult with a healthcare provider before using it, especially if you are taking other medications.
Tools
Instructions
- Fill your glass jar with as many yarrow flowers as you can fit
- Cover with alcohol, so that all parts of the flowers and leaves are submerged.
- Cover with the cap, and allow to sit in a cool dark place, for about 6 weeks.
- Shake the jar 1x/week (or whenever you think of it)
- After 6 weeks, strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer. Optional: Strain one more time through a coffee filter.
- Store the finished tincture in a dropper bottle.
FAQ
Tips
1. Harvest Timing:
Harvest yarrow in the morning after the dew has dried but before the sun is too strong, to preserve the aromatic oils and medicinal properties.
2.Dehydrating the Flowers:
Before making the tincture, dehydrate the flowers by spreading them out in a single layer on a drying rack in a well-ventilated, dry place. This helps concentrate the medicinal compounds and extends the shelf life of the tincture. You can also use a dehydrator.
3. Quality of Herbs:
Use the highest quality fresh or dried yarrow herbs available. If using fresh herbs, ensure they are organic and free from pesticides.
4. Proportion of Alcohol to Herbs
Use a ratio of 1 part dried yarrow (or 2 parts fresh yarrow) to 5 parts alcohol. This helps create a potent extract.
5. Cutting the Herbs:
Finely chop the yarrow to increase the surface area for better extraction of plant-based chemicals.
6. Choosing the Alcohol:
Use high-proof alcohol such as organic cane alcohol, grain alcohol, or vodka to effectively extract the medicinal properties from the yarrow.
7. Infusion Period:
Let the yarrow steep in alcohol for a minimum of 4-6 weeks, shaking the jar daily to ensure thorough mixing and extraction of the plant’s compounds.
8. Temperature Control:
Keep the jar in a cool, dark place to prevent the alcohol from evaporating and to preserve the tincture’s potency.
9. Straining Method:
Use a fine mesh sieve, cheesecloth, or coffee filter to strain the plant material from the liquid extract, ensuring a clean final product.
10. Labeling:
Clearly label the bottles with the date of preparation and the contents to keep track of its age and ensure proper use.
11. Batch Size:
Consider making small batches to ensure freshness and potency, as the medicinal properties can diminish over time.
12. Using Dark Glass Bottles:
Use dark amber or cobalt blue glass bottles for storage to protect the tincture from light exposure, which can degrade the active compounds.
13. Experimenting with Additives:
For additional medicinal benefits, consider combining yarrow with other complementary herbs such as echinacea or calendula when making the tincture.
14. Surface Area Maximization:
When chopping yarrow, aim to create the maximum surface area for the alcohol to interact with, ensuring a potent extraction process.
15. Using Spring Water:
If diluting the tincture for immediate use, opt for spring water over tap water to avoid contaminants and preserve purity.
How to Make Yarrow Tincture & Medicinal Uses
Yarrow tincture recipe: Learn to make yarrow tincture at home with simple ingredients and discover its amazing medicinal uses for natural healing
Ingredients
- dehydrated (or fresh) yarrow blossoms - amount will depend on the size of your jar
- alcohol (such as a clean vodka brand)
Instructions
- Fill your glass jar with as many yarrow flowers as you can fit
- Cover with alcohol, so that all parts of the flowers and leaves are submerged.
- Cover with the cap, and allow to sit in a cool dark place, for about 6 weeks.
- Shake the jar 1x/week (or whenever you think of it)
- After 6 weeks, strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer. Optional: Strain one more time through a coffee filter.
- Store the finished tincture in a dropper bottle.
Notes
Tips
- Harvest Timing: Harvest yarrow in the morning after the dew has dried but before the sun is too strong, to preserve the aromatic oils and medicinal properties.
- Dehydrating the Flowers: Before making the tincture, dehydrate the flowers by spreading them out in a single layer on a drying rack in a well-ventilated, dry place. This helps concentrate the medicinal compounds and extends the shelf life of the tincture. You can also use a dehydrator.
- Quality of Herbs: Use the highest quality fresh or dried yarrow herbs available. If using fresh herbs, ensure they are organic and free from pesticides.
- Proportion of Alcohol to Herbs: Use a ratio of 1 part dried yarrow (or 2 parts fresh yarrow) to 5 parts alcohol. This helps create a potent extract.
- Cutting the Herbs: Finely chop the yarrow to increase the surface area for better extraction of plant-based chemicals.
- Choosing the Alcohol: Use high-proof alcohol such as organic cane alcohol, grain alcohol, or vodka to effectively extract the medicinal properties from the yarrow.
- Infusion Period: Let the yarrow steep in alcohol for a minimum of 4-6 weeks, shaking the jar daily to ensure thorough mixing and extraction of the plant's compounds.
- Temperature Control: Keep the jar in a cool, dark place to prevent the alcohol from evaporating and to preserve the tincture's potency.
- Straining Method: Use a fine mesh sieve, cheesecloth, or coffee filter to strain the plant material from the liquid extract, ensuring a clean final product.
- Labeling: Clearly label the bottles with the date of preparation and the contents to keep track of its age and ensure proper use.
- Batch Size: Consider making small batches to ensure freshness and potency, as the medicinal properties can diminish over time.
- Using Dark Glass Bottles: Use dark amber or cobalt blue glass bottles for storage to protect the tincture from light exposure, which can degrade the active compounds.
- Experimenting with Additives: For additional medicinal benefits, consider combining yarrow with other complementary herbs such as echinacea or calendula when making the tincture.
- Surface Area Maximization: When chopping yarrow, aim to create the maximum surface area for the alcohol to interact with, ensuring a potent extraction process.
- Using Spring Water: If diluting the tincture for immediate use, opt for spring water over tap water to avoid contaminants and preserve purity.
How to Administer Yarrow Tincture
- Internal Use: Typically, yarrow tincture is diluted in water and taken orally.Â
- External Use: For external applications, yarrow tincture can be diluted and applied to the skin using a clean cloth or cotton pad. It's often used for wound care and skin conditions.
This article may contain affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. You can read the full disclosure policy.
