Yellow milfoil
StarAchillea tomentosa
Synonyms: Chamaemelum tomentosum, Millefolium tomentosum, Alitubus tomentosus
Western Herbalism Properties
Gallery
Botanical Description
Achillea tomentosa, the woolly yarrow or yellow milfoil, is a low-growing, mat-forming perennial herb in the family Asteraceae native to southern and central Europe and parts of western Asia, where it occurs on dry, rocky, calcareous slopes from the lowlands to subalpine elevations. It grows 10-30 cm tall from a creeping rhizome that produces persistent leafy basal rosettes and ascending flowering stems. Both leaves and stems are densely covered with soft, white-woolly tomentum — the source of the epithet tomentosa — giving the foliage an overall silvery to grey-green appearance. The basal leaves are oblanceolate in outline, 2-8 cm long, two- to three-pinnately dissected into very fine, linear ultimate segments, characteristic of the genus. The inflorescence is a dense, flat-topped to slightly rounded compound corymb of small flower heads; each head is 3-5 mm across with several short, broad, bright golden-yellow ray florets surrounding a yellow disk. The fruit is a small, smooth, oblong achene without pappus. It flowers in late spring and early summer and is widely grown as an ornamental groundcover.
Active Constituents
delta-3-Carene
Bicyclic monoterpene hydrocarbonConcentration: ~24% of the aerial-part essential oil (Jordanian material)
The dominant constituent reported in a GC-MS study of Achillea tomentosa essential oil from Jordan. This monoterpene contributes to the oil's antimicrobial and antioxidant activity and its resinous aroma.
Limonene
Monoterpene hydrocarbonConcentration: ~12% of the aerial-part essential oil
A major monoterpene of the oil with documented antioxidant and antibacterial activity; part of the terpene fraction responsible for the essential oil's in vitro bioactivity.
alpha-Terpinyl acetate
Oxygenated monoterpene esterConcentration: ~10% of the aerial-part essential oil
A principal oxygenated monoterpene contributing to the aroma and to the antioxidant/enzyme-inhibitory properties observed for the oil.
m-Cymene (and p-cymene)
Aromatic monoterpene hydrocarbonConcentration: ~7% of the aerial-part essential oil
Cymene isomers add to the antibacterial activity of the oil and are common markers of oxidised/mature monoterpene profiles in Asteraceae volatiles.
Sesquiterpene lactones (genus-characteristic)
Sesquiterpene lactonesConcentration: Characteristic of the genus; not individually quantified for this species
As in other Achillea species, sesquiterpene lactones are considered responsible for much of the anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and bitter-tonic activity of yarrow-type herbs; species-specific quantitative data for A. tomentosa are limited.
Flavonoids (apigenin/luteolin-type)
Flavones and flavonolsConcentration: Characteristic of the genus; not quantified for this species
Flavonoids such as apigenin and luteolin derivatives are typical of the genus Achillea and contribute antioxidant and mild antispasmodic activity; direct quantification for A. tomentosa specifically has not been widely published.
Preparation Methods
Steam/hydro-distilled essential oil
Parts: aerial parts, flowering tops
The aerial parts are hydrodistilled to yield an essential oil that has shown in vitro antioxidant (DPPH, FRAP, metal-chelating), antibacterial and alpha-glucosidase-inhibitory activity. As with other yarrow oils it should be diluted for topical use and is not intended for internal use during pregnancy; Asteraceae-sensitive individuals may develop contact dermatitis.
Herbal infusion (folk use)
Parts: aerial parts, flowering tops
Traditionally, mat-forming woolly yarrows have been used like common yarrow as a mild infusion of the dried aerial parts. A. tomentosa is primarily an ornamental rock-garden plant, and documented medicinal use is limited; well-identified common yarrow (A. millefolium) is the far better-studied medicinal species.
Historical Texts
Classical/Mediterranean herbal tradition (genus Achillea, after Achilles; Dioscorides' De Materia Medica)
Antiquity to medievalReferences
- Alsohaili S, Sulaiman SF. Phytochemical constituents, antioxidant, antibacterial and enzyme inhibition activity of essential oil from the aerial part of Achillea tomentosa L. grown in Jordan . Journal of the Chilean Chemical Society (2021) [DOI]
- Saeidnia S, Gohari AR, Mokhber-Dezfuli N, Kiuchi F. A review on phytochemistry and medicinal properties of the genus Achillea . DARU Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences (2011) [DOI]
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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