A to Z Challenge: Y is for Yarrow

The final week! In case you missed it, I'm taking part in the 10th anniversary of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge, the annual event where hundreds of bloggers write 26 blogs—one for each letter of the alphabet—and post them each day of the month, except Sundays. I’m blogging about: THINGS THAT GROW IN ALBERTA. Leave a comment on my blog, Facebook page, or Twitter for a chance to WIN a set of the Superman Duffy books.

Missed a post? Click here start back at the letter "A."

Y is for Yarrow

Before starting this blogging challenge, I had no idea what yarrow was, so if the word doesn’t ring any bells for you either, I don’t blame you. It’s kind of a funny name—but it’s actually a really cool flowering plant. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it in my mom or grandma’s garden—though, maybe it should be!

Yarrow has been valued since ancient times for its ability to stop bleeding, one of the reasons it’s also called “nosebleed”— just hold a piece of the plant up against your wound and voila! (Okay, maybe it's not that easy.) These days, yarrow is more used to fight off colds and flus, and also as an ingredient in many herbal cosmetics. It’s also pretty popular in flower bouquets and even dried for potpourri (you know, that smelly stuff!)

Yarrow grows in many different colours—white, yellow, gold, pink, and red. It doesn’t need a lot of attention (even I should be able to grow it), but, like most of us, it prefers the sun.

When steeped in tea, yarrow promotes digestion, lowers blood pressure, improves circulation, and can even fend off a cold or the flu. Never mind the super foods I’ve been talking about all month—Yarrow should be a “power flower!” (Okay, maybe that was a bit cheesy…what can I say? I have a good imagination!)

Speaking of imagination…The author of the Superman Duffy graphic novels had her imagination super charged when she wrote TRANSPIRATION, the 9th book in the comic series about me. It has dinosaurs, mermaids, and sea monsters! Same rules as before—comment below or on my social media links above for a chance to WIN a copy of it—and the whole series of books.

Gotta jet! See you tomorrow for the letter "Z"—and the END of the A to Z Challenge. Whew! What a month!

~ Chase Superman Duffy