St John's Wort(Hypericum perforatum)
Other Names:
Tipton's weed, chase-devil, or Klamath weed
Range:
Family:
Clusiaceae – Mangosteen family
Growth Type:
A Herbaceous Perennial/woody plant
Height:
Up to 1 meter in height
Leaves:
It has opposing, stalkless, narrow, oblong leaves which are 12 mm long or slightly larger. The leaves are yellow-green in color, with transparent dots throughout the tissue and occasionally with a few black dots on the lower surface. Leaves exhibit obvious translucent dots when held up to the light, giving them a ‘perforated’ appearance, hence the plant's Latin name.
Stem/Trunk:
Its stems are erect, branched in the upper section. The lower portion of the stem is woody, while the upper section is herbaceous.
Root:
Extensive creeping rhizomes
Flower Season:
Between late Spring and early to mid Summer. The name St. John's Wort comes from the fact that it flowers on or about June 28th, or St. John's day.
Flower Appearance:
Its yellow, five petaled flowers measure up to 2.5 cm across, have five petals, and are colored bright yellow with conspicuous black dots. The ends of the flower petals are often tinged with red. The flowers appear in broad cymes at the ends of the upper branches. The sepals are pointed, with glandular dots in the tissue. There are many stamens, which are united at the base into three bundles. When flower buds (not the flowers themselves) or seed pods are crushed, a reddish/purple liquid is produced. When the plant is at its most potent, crushing the flowers between your fingers will result in purple, or even blackish staining.
Seed/Fruit:
Not observed
Miscellaneous characteristics:
Hypericum perforatum is a yellow-flowering perennial herb indigenous to Europe, which has been introduced to many temperate areas of the world and grows wild in many meadows. The common name comes from its traditional flowering and harvesting on St John's day, 24 June. The genus name Hypericum is derived from the Greek words hyper (above) and eikon (picture), in reference to the traditional use of the plant to ward off evil, by hanging plants over a religious icon in the house during St John's day. The species name perforatum refers to the presence of small oil glands in the leaves that look like windows, which can be seen when they are held against the light.
Habitat:
Transplant to waste areas, meadows, roadsides, and other open areas.
Parts Used:
Flowering plant tops. The herbaceous part of the flowing plant is said to be used, but I typically use just the flowers and leaves above the woody base of each stem.
Culinary Uses:
None Known
The following text is meant for informational purposes only. It is not meant to diagnose or treat any illness or injury. Always consult with a physician or other qualified medical care provider concerning the diagnosis and treatment of any illness or injury.
Medicinal Uses:
St John's Wort has emerged as the best selling herbal remedy for Depression. Outselling Prozac by 20 to 1 in Germany, where it is approved for use in the treatment of mild to moderate forms of depression. It is also used to treat nerve pain. There is anecdotal evidence which shows it to be effective at repairing neuropathways, and regenerating nerve tissue. It has also been shown to have antimicrobial properties. It has been shown to kill staphylococcus aureus, (MRSA, also called golden staph, the most common cause of staph infections). I have also taken a course where the herbalist said he has treated TMJ with St. John's Wort, although I have not tried this, nor can I speak to it's efficacy. I can however say this is an extremely important medicinal plant, which no home should be without. I have used infused oils, and tinctures made from the leaves and flowers. Make sure to gather the plant when it first begins to bloom, as this is when it is at it's most potent. When the unopened flower buds, and fresh new flowers crush and form a dark red or purple dye.
Here is a link to a published study outlining the efficacy of St. John's Wort, Hypericum perforatum, at treating neuropathy.
Cautions According To WebMD
Contra-Indications
None Known
Possible Side Effects:
None Known
Possible Interactions:
None Known
Medicinal Actions:
Analgesic,
Antidepressant,
Anti-Infective,
Antimicrobial,
Antineoplastic,
Antiretroviral,
Antispasmodic,
Antiviral,
Nervine,
Tonic: Nerve,
Vulnerary
Herbal Preparations For Plant
Tea
Part Used: Leaves and Flowers of Flowering Plant
Plant State: Fresh
Place 2 tsp of fresh chopped leaves and flowers in a large mug. Pour almost boiling water over the plant material. Steep for 20 minutes. Strain to remove sediment.
Dosage: Drink one cup up to three times daily.
Infusion
Part Used: Leaves and Flowers of Flowering Plant
Plant State: Fresh
Place 2 ounces of the fresh chopped plant material into a quart mason jar, and fill the jar with almost boiling water. Cover the jar, place it in a sunny location, and let it sit for 8 to 10 hours. If refrigerated, the infusion will last a couple of days.
Dosage: 2-4 oz up to three times daily.
Infused Oil
Part Used: Leaves and Flowers of Flowering Plant
Plant State: Fresh
Natural Solar infusion method:
In a quart mason jar, thoroughly mix 2 ounces of fresh chopped herb and 6 ounces by weight of the oil of your choice. Cover the jar and place in a sunny spot for a month or so. Strain your oil, return to the cleaned jar and store in the refrigerator until needed.
Crock Pot Method: (My favorite)
Place 2 ounces of fresh plant material and 6 ounces by weight of grape seed oil into a crock pot. Mix thoroughly, set the dial to its lowest setting, and allow to heat uncovered for 12 hours. After this time has elapsed, place the cover on the crock pot and turn the switch to off. Allow the pot to sit covered until the following morning. Then turn the crock pot once again to its lowest setting, remove the cover, and allow to heat uncovered for an additional 12 hours. Once this time has elapsed, allow the oil to cool enough that you can touch it without burning yourself, and then strain the plant material out. Now place the strained infused oil into a pint-sized mason jar and store it in the refrigerator until needed. (When straining my infused oils, I place a coffee filter into a fine metal sieve, and set the sieve over a glass bowl. I then pour the mixture into the strainer, and let it sit until all the oil has drained. Once it appears that it has completely drained, you will notice that there is much less than the 6 ounces of oil you started with. I usually take a large wooded spoon, or something else heavy, and pack the mixture into the strainer. I am always surprised how much oil is still released from the plant material. You can expect to yield just over 5 ounces by weight of your infused oil)
Dosage: You can apply infused oil topically as needed. You can also follow the directions below to turn your infused oil into an ointment or salve.
Ointment or Salve
Infused oils are turned into ointments and salves. I have found a 5:1 ration by weight of infused oil to bees wax yields the best consistency of ointment. In a medium saucepan, heat 5 ounces, by weight, of your previously prepared infused oil over low heat. When the oil is hot enough, stir in 1 ounce of grated bees wax. When the wax is completely dissolved, dip the back of a clean cold spoon into the mixture. Allow it to cool and solidify. If you find the ointment is too hard, add a little more oil, if you find it is too soft, add a little more bees wax, until you reach your desired consistency. To make an even more luxurious feeling ointment, before it cools, try adding 1 tablespoon of lanolin to your ointments. If you are anything like me, you will love the luxurious texture, and soothing effect it has on your skin.
Dosage: Apply topically as needed to alleviate nerve pain
Tincture
A tincture of H. perforatum is only effective when made from fresh leaves and flowers.
Part Used: Leaves and Flowers of Flowering Plant
Plant State: Fresh
Alcohol Percentage: 50%
Plant to Alcohol Ratio: 1:2
Label a quart mason jar with the plant name, the part of the plant used, the percentage of alcohol used, and the date the tincture was started.
Fill the jar to the neck with chopped fresh leaves, then pour in 750 ml of 100 proof vodka, or 500 ml of 150 proof Everclear and 250 ml of water. Next pour the contents of the jar into a blender and blend until all of the plant material is thoroughly chopped into fine pieces and incorporated into the menstrum. This will increase the surface area and provide better leaching of the plant constituents. As a matter of fact, this method works so well that, if necessary, the tincture can be used in as little as 7 days. Now pour the contents of the blender back into the jar, being careful to scrape every last bit of goodness from the blender. Place a lid on the mason jar, shake it well, and place the jar in a dark cupboard. Once a day for the first 7 days, take the jar out of the cupboard and shake it well. Place the jar back into the cupboard, and leave it soak for another 3 weeks. After the tincture has soaked for 30 days, remove it from the cupboard and strain out the spent plant material. Your tincture will remain viable for 2-3 years.
Dosage: 20-30 drops up tp three times daily
St John's Wort Video
Note the translucent dots on the stalkless leaves.
