St. John’ Wort: Earthly Sunshine

Introducing Saint John’s Wort!

St. John’s Wort was one of the few medicinal herbs I’d heard about by my late teens. I knew people liked it for its ability to ameliorate depression and I’d seen boxes of it in the tea aisle at the grocery store, but it would be another twenty years before I met the plant, itself.

I first knowingly encountered St. John’s Wort, formally known as Hypericum perforatum, at the edge of the Breitenbush River. With bright yellow flowers bursting open during our Summer Solstice gathering, I was surpised! “THAT’S St. John’s Wort?” I thought. The revered spirit brightener was a common weed I’d seen but overlooked approximately one million times.

Indeed, as greatly as St. John’s Wort is beloved by devotees of plant medicine, it is considered a noxious weed in many states because it can spread widely (particularly in the American West) and cause photosensitivity in livestock if consumed in great amounts. And—now that I am familiar with it—I see how wildly successful St. John’s Wort IS at propagating itself!

That miles-long swath of yellow alongside the highway? Yup. In our neck of Oregon, at least, it’s St. John’s Wort. Like many so-called weeds, St. John’s Wort follows disruption and lives on the edges. So you’re much more likely to find it alongside a road, in a pasture, or on the edge of a clearcut than you are on a deep woods adventure.

Luckily, Seth and I live surrounded by a forest braided with abandoned dirt roads, and St. John’s Wort’s bursts of yellow thrive on them. Read below to learn how to identify St. John’s Wort and use its magic for your wellbeing.

Finding and Identifying St. John’s Wort

St. John’s Wort likes to grow in full sun and well-drained soils. They are not picky beyond those requirements. Try to find a patch far enough off a road to avoid dust or car exhaust.

St. John’s Wort is a perennial that grows to be two- to three-feet tall and has multiple clusters of vibrant yellow flowers. Each flower has five petals radiating from a frilly center like a burst of sunshine.

To help positively identify it, look at the leaves. St. John’s Wort leaves are opposite, small, oval, and—if you hold them up to the light—you can see that they are perforated! Herbalist Scott Kloos, author of Pacific Northwest Medicinal Plants, says these perforations are an indicator of the way that St. John’s Wort shines light into the darkest places of the self during the darkest months of the year.

Another giveaway for St. John’s Wort is its buds. They are small and yellow, but when you crush them they turn your fingers magenta! This bright color comes from its main active constituent, hypericin, and it turns the tincture into a deep purple potion as well.

Harvesting St. John’s Wort

Starting around the Summer Solstice, St. John’s Wort flowers bloom for a couple months, so you can go back to your stand multiple times. Gather the flowering tops—including buds and some leaves—just prior to or a bit after they have opened. Because its medicinal qualities degrade quickly when dried, most herbalists recommend using only fresh St. John’s Wort to make tinctures and oils, so be prepared to do something with your harvest shortly after you’ve gathered your healing treasures.

Make your own Saint John’s Wort Potions

Because St. John’s Wort is most effective when used fresh, making fresh herb tincture and oil are great ways to work with this magical plant. You can, of course, make fresh tea from it, too! To make a fresh herb tincture, follow the instructions here.

While it is generally preferable to use dried herbs for infused oils, St. John’s Wort is an exception. Using the folk method, fill a jar about 2/3 full with your little bursts of sunshine, buds, and leaves. Cover them with your oil of choice, making sure the oil is at least an inch above the herbs. Olive oil is one of the most popular oils to use because it is slow to spoil, relatively inexpensive, and delightful for the skin. Apricot, almond, jojoba, and grapeseed oil are our other favorites. We recommend using organic oils whenever possible because bodies like them best.

Once your herbs are covered by at least an inch of oil, put a lid on it and give it all a good shake. Then put your jar in a sunny window or other warm spot for about three weeks, shaking it daily. If the herbs rise above the oil, add more oil! Because the water content in fresh herbs can lead to mold, check your infusing oil for unwanted growth regularly. I like to cover the jar with a cloth instead of a lid for the first few days to let any moisture evaporate. This seems to prevent mold.

Once your oil is well infused, strain it through a muslin bag or cheesecloth, squeeze out as much oil as you can, and store it in a glass jar. Some folks like to do a second, finer straining to get any small plant particles out of the oil. Store your oil in a cool, dark place to reserve its shelf life.

If you’d rather skip all this work, support some small farmers by buying St. John’s Wort in our shop!

Medicinal Uses of St. John’s Wort

St. John’s Wort for Depression

Taken internally, St. John’s Wort is famous for its ability to alleviate symptoms of non-clinical depression, particularly those associated with frustration and Seasonal Affective Disorder. While it can have immediately uplifting effects, most people find it most effective as a mood-lifter when taken daily over the course of several weeks. You can make a fresh tincture or oil and take 15-60 drops up to three times a day. Take it regularly for several weeks to reap its greatest gifts.

St. John's Wort for Menstruation and Menopause

​The anti-spasmodic and mood-lifting qualities of St. John's Wort make it a perfect companion for menstrual, crampy, and menopausal folks.

St. John’s Wort for Sciatic Pain

St. John’s Wort soothes the nerves. Taken internally, the tincture can help alleviate sciatic pain. It is also helpful for nerve damage throughout the body. Externally, massage the oil into affected areas to reduce pain and inflammation.

St. John’s Wort for Digestion

St. John’s Wort stimulates the solar plexus and thus supports digestion, the liver, kidneys, and gallbladder.

St. John’s Wort for First Aid

St. John’s Wort is an excellent wound healer and is particularly useful for puncture wounds because it helps you heal from the bottom up. Applied to sore muscles, bruises, strains, and sprains, St. John’s Wort oil is a powerful healer, pain reliever, and valuable addition to any first aid kit.

Antiviral and Antimicrobial Properties of St. John’s Wort

There is also evidence that St. John’s Wort has antiviral and antimicrobial properties. Herbalist Scott Kloos recommends it for herpes outbreaks including shingles, and it can be a helpful potion for bronchitis and other respiratory issues.

Precautions

Large quantities of St. John’s Wort may cause photosensitivity in fair-skinned people. It may also have adverse interactions with prescription medications, so check with your medical doctor before taking St. John’s Wort. If you are suffering from symptoms of clinical depression, please check with your health care provider before taking herbs. As ALWAYS with herbal medicine, please do you own research before using St. John’s Wort, especially if you are pregnant.

Disclaimer

For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.