Legend has it that yarrow (Achillea millefolium) was named after Achilles, the Greek mythical hero who used it to stop the bleeding wounds of his soldiers. Several tribes of the Plains region of the United States used Yarrow. The Pawnee used the stalk in a treatment for pain relief.
The Chippewa used the leaves in a steam inhalant for headaches and the Cherokee drank a tea of yarrow to reduce fever and aid in restful sleep.
Other common names for this species include gordaldo, nosebleed plant, old man’s pepper, devil’s nettle, sanguinary, milfoil, soldier’s woundwort, thousand-leaf, and thousand-seal.