Yarrow
Yarrow suppliers and sourcing guide
Yarrow is Achillea millefolium, a perennial in the daisy family that grows across Europe, Asia and North America. The trade uses the dried flowering tops (above-ground parts), wild-collected or cultivated, sold cut and sifted or powdered, as water or water-ethanol extracts, and as a steam-distilled essential oil. Its volatile oil can contain thujone and chamazulene, depending on chemotype.
- Category
- Botanicals and mushrooms
- Also known as
- Achillea millefolium · common yarrow · milfoil · Millefolii herba
- Facts checked
- November 2026
Forms and grades of yarrow
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Cut and sifted herb
Dried flowering tops cut to a tea grade.
Powder
Milled dried herb for capsules and blends.
Liquid or dry extract
Hydroalcoholic extract sold as a tincture or dried to a powder, usually not standardized.
Essential oil
Steam-distilled oil, blue when chamazulene is present, sold on its GC profile.
Organic
Herb from certified organic or certified wild-collected sources, with the certificate tied to the lot.
What to check on the COA
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
- Identity (macroscopy, microscopy, HPTLC)
- Checks to confirm Achillea millefolium flowering tops and flag other Achillea species.
- Volatile oil and thujone
- Volatile oil content by hydrodistillation and a GC profile including thujone and chamazulene, which matters for beverage and flavor use.
- Heavy metals
- Lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury by ICP-MS, checked against the buyer's limits and any Prop 65 exposure targets.
- Microbiology
- Total plate count, yeast and mold, E. coli or coliforms, and Salmonella.
- Pesticide residues
- Multi-residue pesticide screen, required for organic claims and commonly requested for conventional material.
- Physical tests
- Loss on drying, mesh or particle size, bulk density and, for extracts, the extract ratio, carrier and residual solvent.
Storage, lots and expiry
Storage and shelf life
Keep dried herb and powder sealed in lined bags or drums in a cool, dry, dark place; cut herb loses aroma and color with light and air, and powder picks up moisture once opened. Dry extracts are hygroscopic, so reseal opened containers promptly. Shelf life or a retest date comes from the supplier's specification.
Lots and expiry dates
Volatile oil and thujone content vary with chemotype, origin and harvest stage, so check each lot's GC results against your specification. Record the supplier lot and origin, and rotate stock first-expiry-first-out.
Regulatory status
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
21 CFR 172.510 permits yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.) as a natural flavoring substance in beverages only, with the finished beverage thujone free.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)The EU Novel Food status Catalogue entry for Achillea millefolium (POL-NF-00080) lists the flowers and leaves as not novel in food, and other aerial parts and the essential oil as not novel in food supplements.
Source: ec.europa.eu (opens in a new tab)The European Medicines Agency's Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products has a European Union herbal monograph for yarrow herb, the above-ground parts of Achillea millefolium L.
Source: ema.europa.eu (opens in a new tab)
This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Yarrow suppliers
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
We are checking yarrow suppliers now
Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.
Sell yarrow? Request a listingFrequently asked questions
What forms of yarrow can brands buy?
Common forms include cut and sifted herb, powder, liquid or dry extract, essential oil and organic. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
What should the COA for yarrow include?
Expect identity (macroscopy, microscopy, HPTLC), volatile oil and thujone, heavy metals, microbiology, pesticide residues and physical tests, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
How should yarrow be stored?
Keep dried herb and powder sealed in lined bags or drums in a cool, dry, dark place; cut herb loses aroma and color with light and air, and powder picks up moisture once opened. Dry extracts are hygroscopic, so reseal opened containers promptly. Shelf life or a retest date comes from the supplier's specification.
What is the regulatory status of yarrow?
21 CFR 172.510 permits yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.) as a natural flavoring substance in beverages only, with the finished beverage thujone free. The EU Novel Food status Catalogue entry for Achillea millefolium (POL-NF-00080) lists the flowers and leaves as not novel in food, and other aerial parts and the essential oil as not novel in food supplements. The European Medicines Agency's Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products has a European Union herbal monograph for yarrow herb, the above-ground parts of Achillea millefolium L.
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