The St. John ’s wort industrial plant is steeped in caption , and I go weak in the knees for a plant with a report . To take off with , I always enquire exactly what plant life are we talk over ? We find the St. John ’s wort plant in theHypericumgenus , which contains more than 490 dissimilar species . While most of the genus tend to take the vernacular name , only one true St. John ’s wort exist : Hypericum perforatum .
genus Hypericum perforatumappeared in the body of work of ancient healers and phytologist , such as Theophrastus , Galen , Pliny , Dioscorides and Paracelsus . It has a very retentive history of being used to ward off the “ malevolent eye ” and protect against illness . This motif shows up in a telephone number of religions from Ancient Greece through the Middle Ages . Before Christianity in England , the flowers were add into the house on mid - summer ’s even . Later , as Christianity spread , the plant became assort with St. John the Baptist . Some claimed that the violent spots on the leaves only appeared there after St. John was beheaded , and they believed that log Z’s with a twig of the plant under your pillow the night before the Feast of St. John ’s would guarantee a vision and a approval . Today , it is still traditional for herbalists to pick their St. John ’s wort for medication make on June 24 during this annual holy day .
With such an encompassing history , it is short wonder that we are still speak about this small , unassuming plant today . All of this human affiliation distinguish me that there is something special inside this plant life that makes it deserving our while to pass along generation to generation . In fact , St. John ’s wort contains a few fickle oils and flavonoids . What is more interesting to the scientific community are hypericin and hyperforin , the two compound that are most studied for genial health .
Planting St. John’s Wort
The first time I brought this industrial plant rest home , I had the estimate that it was meant to be tall . When it sprawled instead of standing I was distressed that I had bribe the untimely species . This is a common misconception . As the plant gets establish , it often grovel and rest light . Once it gets its ground though , you could expect the plant to grow up to 3 feet tall .
St. John ’s wort is an herbaceous perennial , brave tozone 3 . It has dark - green , oblong leaves that when held up to the light seem to contain evenly space , pin - prick translucent windows . These windows contain the oil for which this plant is famous . The flower are bright yellow with ruddy - imperial spot in the throat . When rubbed between the fingers , this yellow flower will turn your fingers a mystifying maroon colour . It like to turn best from cuttings , which are made from the smartly spreading rootstalk , though it will mature from semen .
St. John ’s wort is n’t all that particular about the ground where it get . It is much more interested in sun than anything else you might put up , so plant it somewhere that gets full sunshine . I have had the plant flourish in a very stiff garden as well as in a very teetotal garden .
Harvesting St. John’s Wort
Whether you ’re a diehard or not , the best time to reap your St. John ’s wort for its flowers is around June 24 — at least in Ohio , where I live . If you ’re hoping to use just the leaves you would harvest sometime in the two calendar week that precedes that .
Leaves and Stems
If you are glean the foliage and stem , you will want to piece on a morning or evening , when the dew is n’t on and the Dominicus is n’t at its peak . crop the stem off about an inch above the reason and dry the entire stalk on a flat screen or fall it upside down .
Flowers
If you are glean the flower it ’s still a in effect idea to try on a mid - good morning or former even timeframe for picking — I favour mid - morning . reap the flower and the first inch or so of stem and folio below , as all will contain the crude oil you ’re wanting for your remedies . In a perfect world , the flush you opt will be unopened . This is a bit tricky and just takes time and pattern to see . As the flower develops it will get more intensely scandalmongering and more full . Just before it opens is the optimum fourth dimension to pick . Do n’t worry though if the clustering of flower you pick contains both unopened and opened flowers — it will be just fine .
Using Your Harvest
St. John ’s wort is n’t really a food plant — it does n’t thwart over into the “ food as medicinal drug ” class very well . If you want to glean the plant , and you are n’t just reckon for a pretty bouquet , chances are you are crap it into some variety of remedy .
The most democratic preparation method acting is St. John ’s wort oil color , which is used topically . The leave and/or flowers are steep in a toter vegetable oil , such as Olea europaea or sesame oil — the process is witching ! As the herb infuses , a cherry fickle oil is pulled out of the yellow flowers and turns the common carrier oil blood red . It is just about the pretty chemical formula I make each year , and I would n’t be without it .
If you wish to utilize St. John ’s wort internally , it can be made into a tea or tincture with either invigorated or dried herbaceous plant .
Healing With St. John’s Wort
St. John ’s wort is anti - inflammatory that can be used topically for wounds , bruises , varicose vein , sore muscles and mild burns . I have two pet topical uses for this plant : for sunburn and for spunk legal injury from disease or blunt - forcefulness trauma . Also , when rubbed behind the ear on a daily basis , it can help to repair the nerves that have been damage in some hearing issues .
St. John ’s wort is also an antibacterial , antimicrobial , antiviral and nervine . Internally it is a adept with the flighty system . It is a pain stand-in and an emotional stabilizer . One of the principal uses of the plant life has been as anatural resolution for depression . The two components hypericin and hyperfolin are the active component in most of the clinical studies .
Are There Any Concerns?
The only other vexation with the plant is really more about some of the other species on the genus . It appear that some of them , when intemperately grazed by cattle , can cause photosensitivity in the creature . However , it has n’t been show to increase the danger of sunburn in people using the plant in appropriate doses .
My St. John ’s wort plants have a place of laurels in my practice of medicine rack garden . In some areas of the land , the plant life is deal a smoke and is pulled and spray with little knowingness of the magic and history that it contains . If you are in such an region , consider yourself favourable , and while you manage your “ weeds , ” be sure to make yourself a little magic , as well .
