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Yarrow is one of those common "weeds" that grows everywhere, blooms from spring to fall, and still manages to go unnoticed. According to the Peterson Guide, it is an alien invader but that there is a second, native species in our area called A. lanulosa. My other books make no distinction between the two, lumping them into a single alien species. In any case, it certainly grows throughout our region from mountain to coast.Yarrow, a member of the Composite Family, is a fairly pleasant little weed, showing up in sunny spots from sidewalk cracks to mountain meadows. It is usually not more than a foot high, with a flat-topped cluster of white flowers as its crown. The leaves are very finely dissected (hence the name millefolium, a thousand leaves) and are sessile on the main stem. The leaves are also pleasantly fragrant when crushed. Fragrant herbs often invite experimentation. Dried Yarrow was commonly made into a tea to treat colds and fevers and digestive problems. According to my Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants, it contains over 100 active compounds, some of which are anti-inflammatory. Although a fairly innocuous herb, I advise against experimenting.