Achillea millefolium, commonly known as yarrow, is a member of the Asteraceae (daisy) family. It's native to North America, and thrives with frequent sun in mildly disturbed soils, including grasslands and forests. Its flowering tops and leaves are used medicinally for modulating inflammation, digestive dysfunction, urinary incontinence, fever, common cold. Yarrow is especially beneficial for conditions involving bleeding - including bleeding wounds or bruises, hemorrhoids, amenorrhea - because of its powerful astringent property. Yarrow is also used for its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, diaphoretic, vulnerary, carminative, styptic, anodyne properties. According to Greek mythology, the great warrior Achilles was supposedly given an herbal bath using Achillea millifolium, effectively protecting him during battle. The heel of Achilles, however, was never submerged in the yarrow bath, thereby making the "Achilles heel" his ultimate weakness.