Latin name: Achillea ptarmica
Common name: Sneezewort
Other names: Sneezeweed yarrow, bastard pellitory, fair-maid-of-France, goose tongue, white tansy
How to spot it and where to find it: Common in damp meadows, marshes, wet woodlands and beside streams, the enchantingly named sneezewort is similar to yarrow, but its flowers are always white. It is a perennial with an erect, slightly hairy stem that grows to about 60cm and dies back in the winter. It flowers in July, producing pompoms of white petals surrounding a central creamy dimpled “button”. The petals are divided into three by folds, which are more pronounced in the sneezewort and there are usually eight, rather than the five seen in yarrow.
Interesting facts: The ptarmica part of its name comes from Greek and means “to cause a…
