6/29/10 TWO HERBS AND BEAR POOP

COMMON MILKWEED
MILFOIL, AKA YARROW
A CONVERSATION PIECE

Tuesday, 7:30 AM. 53 degrees, wind W, strong enough to make the aspen leaves tremble. The sky is almost cloudless, and the barometer predicts fair weather. Our Denver family arrived last night and will stay with us past the Forth of July.
The common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca, is blooming. It has a very sweet scent and is an obligatory host for the caterpillar of the Monarch butterfly. Linneus mistakenly thought it to be Asian in origin rather than American, thus the specific name. It has had many herbal and other uses in the past, as has other plants of the genus, which is dedicated to the Greek god of medicine.
Milfoil, or yarrow (Achillea milifolium) is a common garden and roadside plant. Horticultural varieties may have yellow, white or rose colored flowers, the roadside plants (including several native species and their varieties) are usually white. It is said that Achilles discovered its styptic properties and used the leaves to stop the bleeding of war wounds, and promote healing. I have used it on cuts, and it works. It is often used to stop severe nosebleeds. So another common name is military plant. The specific name also refers to the finely dissected leaves, thus yet another name, “million leaves.”
The photo of the bear poop is added as a conversation piece, in case the conversation ever goes in that direction.