St. John ’s wort is a cheerful , utilitarian plant that any herbalist can easily total to her medicine cabinet . Here is the chronicle of the works and how to grow it ( or forage it ) . Plus , learn the benefit of St. John ’s wort , plus three different ways you could utilize it .
lately , I was out for a walk with my herb doctor supporter , LoriAnn Bird , and we started talking about St. John ’s Wort . I met LoriAnn a few years ago when she left a comment here on Garden Therapy , and I now spot her name as alocal herbal teacherin Vancouver who offers many herb walk and plant talks . I messaged her directly to say hello , and a friendship was digest !
Over the long time , I have attended many of LoriAnn ’s herbaceous plant walk , and plant medical specialty blab both in - person and online . On the day we chew the fat about St. John ’s Wort , it was bloom all around us and LoriAnn mentioned that with the ecumenical uncertainly and stress , folks could really expend some of its wonderful benefits .
While no longer popular, St. John’s wort has a long history of herbal use.
I invited LoriAnn to partake her Wisdom of Solomon with us today . I will hand it over to her now so you may get to know my darling acquaintance and this seasonable cure herb .
Herbal Guide to St. John’s Wort
Written by LoriAnn Bird
St. John ’s wort ( Hypericum perforatum ) is often labeled a weed which is not really her dependable indistinguishability nor a representation of her true natural endowment . After all , “ wort ” is an honest-to-god English word for “ herbaceous plant ” .
The History of St John’s Wort
Like so many ‘ weeds , ’ there can be a lot of conflicting information . Sometimes , we forget how long these medicinal healing plants have been grow with us and helping us stay balanced and tidy .
Back in the 1800s , if your neighbour was distressing , overwhelmed , and anxious ( like many of us are today ) , you would have thought they were possessed ! The Greenwich Village herb doctor would recommend they drink St. John ’s wort blossom tea and after 6 - 8 weeks the neighbor would have report that they sense like a light inside them had plough back on . That ’s because this witching healing plant life is said to aid with meek to moderate imprint .
This has been show true in modernistic time as well . In fact , research in Germany has recognized St. John ’s wort to be helpful for economic crisis officially since 1984 .
Growing the St. John’s Wort Plant
St. John ’s wort is described as a mid - size perennial with yellow flowers whichdiffers from otherHypericumsby the “ perforations ” in the leaf , filled with red-faced resinous glands of hypericin and other active compounds .
Planting : St John ’s Wort fan out by seminal fluid and well as an active vegetative radical .
Height and Spread : It will grow to 0.9 m ( 3 ft ) by 0.6 MB ( 2 ft in ) .
Zone : USDAplant hardiness zones5 through 10 .
Soil : St John ’s Wort grows well in sand , remains , jumpy soil or loam , and tolerates acidic to somewhat alkaline pH.
Light requisite : St. John ’s wort can grow insemi - shade(light timber ) or no spectre .
lacrimation : St. John ’s wort prefer moist soil .
anthesis : St. John ’s wort is in efflorescence from May to August , and the seeds ripen from July to September . The metal money is hermaphrodite ( has both male and female organs ) and ispollinated by beesand fly . The plant is ego - fertile .
Invasive Species Alert
In the US and Canada , St. John ’s wort is often considered a noxious weed , also referred to as Klamath Mary Jane . The BC Invasive Species Councilwarns that St. John ’s Wort can do combat injury to light - skinned kine and has a protective covering on the seeds that allows it to live for up to 10 years . Additionally , a unmarried plant can produce up to 100,000 seeds .
Keep in psyche that what is a weed to some is a wildflower to others . St. John ’s Wort is full of wonderful properties beneficial for people , the land , and our pollinator .
Foraging the St. John’s Wort Plant
You might observe the St. John ’s Wort plantgrowing anywhere stain has been disturbed . This includes heart-to-heart woods , grassland , in dry sunny place , along roadways , in the scissure of sidewalks , alongside pastures , or even in your garden . I cognise Stephanie has some growing in her garden because I reap some to infuse in oil on her windowsill during my last visit .
you could identify St. John ’s Wort byholding the leafage up to the luminance to look for the small glands that look like holes . The flower has ten times more glands than the leaf or stem , which is why it is so often used in herbalism .
Harvesting St John’s Wort
Its preponderance means that planting it in your garden is unnecessary ; you could very likely find dotty plants with plenty of flowers to divvy up .
I have reap from former June into late August .
The good fourth dimension to reap is in the mid - day when the medicative property are at its height . Harvest the flower tops , leaf , and stem . The stems are quite stiff so best to use scissors .
St John’s Wort Benefits
Now that you know how to identify and reap this enchanting plant life , let ’s talk aboutwhyyou should do so . The benefit of St. John ’s wort are well - worth your efforts — here are just a few .
St. John’s Wort for Depression and SAD
The chemical element of‘hypericin’is know to interpose with monoamine oxidase ( MOA ) , which contributes to slump . Pharmaceutical products also roleplay as MOA inhibitors ; however , St. John ’s Wort is slower - acting and has few side personal effects .
Here in the Pacific Northwest , we can have recollective nebulose winters with picayune sun soI exercise this daily on my case as my moisturizerwhich is veryeffective for SAD . Some people who are bonny - shin report that they are more tender to the sun when using St. John ’s wort rock oil ; however , the sun is not as secure in the winter so anyone applying it then should be ok .
Digestive and Nervous System Benefits
St John ’s Wort is also used for the digestive and unquiet organisation . It improves the absorption of nutrients and normalize stomach acid level which fluctuateas we maturate . Helpful for ulcers , heartburn and bloat .
It is also helpful with bedwetting , menstrual challenges , climacteric , liver tension as it gently decongests and strengthens both liver and the gall bladder .
St. John’s Wort as a Pain Reliever
St. John ’s Wort is said to be very helpful as apain substitute and repairs skin tissue . I use it for my sciatica , applying the infused petroleum on my lower back and down my leg where the pain is .
St. John’s Wort Side Effects and Warnings
Please do not take St. John ’s Wort with antidepressant without the supervising of an herbalist or medical practitioner . Like any herbaceous plant , it is of import that you explore it and check with your health precaution professional before using it , as it might have any fundamental interaction with drug medications .
A research paper in 2000 was bring out , which raise a new concern . St John ’s Wort selection was render to improve liver function . Although this would unremarkably be considered to be a good thing , this report evoke the business organisation thatimproved liver social occasion might cause pharmaceutical drug to be crack down more quicklyand could mean that people who require to have a drug combat-ready in their system 24 hours per mean solar day , could now , in possibility , have a break where the drug was not active .
This could potentially be a problem .
For example , if a adult female was deal the contraceptive pill and St. John ’s Wort , then there could now be a time during 24 hours when her oral contraceptive pill would not be actively working in her body , and she could , in theory , become pregnant .
How to Use St. John’s Wort
There are three means I ’d advocate to use this helpful plant : an petroleum , as a tincture , and as a dream pillow .
How to Make St. John’s Wort Oil
Infusing brisk flowersand leaves into vegetable oil makes a soothing facial oil that has many use of goods and services . Only sassy flowers can be used for infusions , not dry out plant material .
steep it into vegetable vegetable oil and put it in a cheery window to tincture in the Lord’s Day for one month .
The infused crude will turn a beautiful red . Then , strain out the works material , bottle it , and label it .
There are many fashion you may use this oil . A few ideas include :
Make a Tincture
you may also make it into an alcohol tincture forseasonal affective upset , liver congestion , zoster , nervous enervation , menopausal mood , viral infections , and super C lag .
Alcohol tincture are used to extract different chemical substance components that are intoxicant soluble . Some folks are very precise in preparing weight and volume , but I prefer the simple folklore method of 1 part works to 2 parts alcoholic drink .
check that the plant life material is completely covered , rock day by day for four hebdomad , then strain out the plant life and label your nursing bottle with the date .
Tinctures can last up to 10 age .
Dose 1 - 4 ml 3x daily . I suggest noticing how you react to any eccentric of stimulus as to the best dosage for your body eccentric .
DIY Dream Pillow
Make a dream pillowwith flowers and leaf and place it into a modest cloth bag or a square piece of fabric and assemble to link up up .
post under your pillow for nightmares , bad dreaming , and fear of the dark .
Final Thoughts About St. John’s Wort
booster assist friend is a good motto and I am grateful to Stephanie Rose for invite me to indite for Garden Therapy . We met a few days ago and over time have been growing our friendly relationship .
There is a lot of data and research on this bright little scandalmongering flower thatoffers so much healing for us emotionally , mentally , spiritually , and physically . I am so grateful for her educational activity and now we can glean her medicine vs. spray her with poison that finally envenom us as we are all part of the same web .
Chief Seattle once shared … .The solid ground does not belong to man ; man belongs to the earth . All things are associate like the blood line that unites us all . Man did not weave the web of life ; he was merely a strand in it . Whatever he does to the web , he does to himself .
Blessings , dear friends ,
All our relation ,
~ LoriAnn
More Herbal Guides to Enjoy:
3 Ways to Use St. John’s Wort
Equipment
Supplies
Instructions
LoriAnn Bird is a Métis herbalist and pedagogue share-out stories and instruction with children and adults in Vancouver , BC , for the last seven age . She has learn gardening , aromatherapy , herbalism and permaculture and has a deep love for nature . Tsuu T’ina , Anishinaabe , Cree , Nakoda , and Nipissing Nations are mixed with her Scottish , French , and Celtic filiation . She loves honouring the plants and their medicines which are grow all around us .
you may find LoriAnnon her web site , onInstagram , onFacebookandat the Artists in residency at Hastings Community Centre .
you could also take a fascinatingonline course with Swallowtail tours featuring LoriAnn ’s teachings , or conjoin her at theEarthgleaners biotic community guildwhere her teachings are being featured in July - Sept. If you are in ( or will be in ) the Vancouver area , you may even join her for anAirbnb experience industrial plant walk !
Share this post:
