The yarrow, referred to as the hedgehog's grass, the cheese grass, the plague grass, and otherwise in Latvian, was apparently thought to be able to fight the plague or help cows produce more milk.
Nowadays, says botanist Agnese Priede, the recognizable herb is used both as an anti-cough tea and for alleviating stomach pain.
It was formerly used to make wounds heal faster.
Yarrow tea is rather bitter but valuable nonetheless. It's very common across all of Latvia, recognizable from its leaves reminiscent of small feathers and its clustered flowers in white-gray.
