Yarrow

Yarrow is the warrior's herb. Legend says Achilles carried it into battle, and village healers kept it close for generations. In the Apothecary, it represents courage, protection, and the quiet, unnoticed care that holds everything together.

In Pete & Geneva, yarrow is the green note in Grandma Geneva's balm: "the part nobody noticed until it was missing."

Yarrow is a feathery, flowering herb that grows wild in meadows, roadsides, and fields across much of the Northern Hemisphere. Its flat clusters of tiny white or pink flowers and lacy, fern-like leaves have made it one of the most recognizable wildflowers in the world. Its botanical name, Achillea millefolium, honors the Greek hero Achilles, who, legend says, carried yarrow into battle.

Yarrow has been part of traditional herbal practices for thousands of years and was a staple in village and family gardens. Today, it is valued in body care for its green, herbal character and its connection to old-world traditions.

Yarrow is infused into olive oil to bring a green, herbal depth to balms and oils. The flowers and leaves are steeped in oil for weeks, until the oil takes on the plant's soft color and earthy aroma. It gives our salves their earthy, old-garden character and a comforting feel on dry skin.

In balms, yarrow pairs naturally with calendula, Balm of Gilead, and beeswax, creating the kind of salve that would have been kept on a kitchen shelf for everyday use. Its scent is subtle: green, slightly sweet, and herbal.

Yarrow is the quiet hero of the Apothecary, the part nobody noticed until it was missing.