As heinous and tragic as the Salem Witch Trials were, today people in the area take pride in their witchy heritage. In fact, Halloween is a huge to-do in Salem, one of their busiest tourist seasons of the year. And like many areas of the United States, the area is home to the yarrow flower, a member of the aster family that happens to be used in many witchy rituals and remedies—both ancient and modern.

Also known as the common yarrow, milfoil, or western yarrow, the yarrow plant grows up to three feet in height. With three to five inch leaves and large, yello-white clustered flowers, the feathery-looking plant provides a bit of a lacy-look to bouquets, making it a popular addition on Valentine’s Day and other holidays. The flowers can occasionally be pink in color. Though very simple on its own, the perennial flower remains an attractive plant with a rich history.

In magical workings, the herb has been used for love, healing, and courage remedies. Yarrow can help increase psychic abilities and get rid of negative energies. Dried yarrow can be carried to help curb fear and boost self-esteem, while yarrow hanging over the bed is said to provide at least seven years of love and passion.

Medicinally, properties have ranged from breaking fevers to healing rashes in poultice form to stopping hemorrhaging. Native American tribes used it as a tea to heal kidney, stomach, or liver troubles.

Yarrow blooms from April through September and can be found in most U.S. states as well as throughout temperate regions in Canada. They can be grown with medium water and partial shade, and flourish with dry moisture. For this reason, the plants have a high drought tolerance. When crushed or rubbed, yarrow produces a very pleasant scent.

Yarrow can also be known by its other names, which include sanguinary, old man’s pepper, gordaldo, thousand-leaf, nosebleed plant, devil’s nettle, thousand-seal, and soldier’s woundwort.

In Greek mythology, Charon taught Achilles to use yarrow to heal his wounds in battle. In traditional folklore, it was used to stop inner or outer bleeding, including over bleeding during menstruation. That said, it could also cause a nosebleed to occur—something that was once considered a positive thing to do to cure headaches.

Anglo-Saxons used it to heal venomous bites caused by snakes or bugs, as well as to chew as a toothache remedy. Today it’s still considered an effective tonic and stimulant in Europe, though it may cause allergic reactions in some people.