Botanical Name: Hypericum Perforatum | Family: Guttiferae
Common name(s): St. John’s Wort, Klamath weed
GROWING
- Perennial, herbaceous | zones 3-8 | 24-30 inches tall | bright-yellow, star-shaped flowers which bloom around summer solstice.
- Full sun, partial shade; well-drained soil.
- Found in mountain meadows and along roadsides.
- Propagate by root division in spring or fall. Spreads readily (self-sows).
HARVESTING
Harvest upper 3-4 inches of flowering leafy tops only when in peak bloom and bud stage, on a sunny day when the flowers will be dry. (Best harvesting is when the buds, when pressed between your fingers, give a spurt of purple or deep red. Test daily, the window of opportunity for harvesting is short.)
PREPARATION / DOSAGE
Parts: Upper 3-4 inches of flowering leafy tops
Infusion: 1 cup boiling water over 1-2 tsp dried herb, leave for 10-15 minutes. Drink 3x/day
Tincture: 10-30 drops (1-4ml) 3x/day
External: Ointment/salve, foot soak, bath
Duration: Needs to be taken internally over a 2-3 week period to effective for stress and depression**.
MEDICAL
Constituents: Hypericin, Hyperforin, pseudohypericin, procyanidins, tannins, flavonoids
Actions: Sedative, anti-inflamatory, astringent, anti-depressant
Uses: nerve pain (including arthritis), neuralgia, depression**, anxiety, stress, menopausal anxiety and irritability, nervous system support, immune system support, treatment of winter illnesses, topical skin treatment for healing of wounds, bruises, varicose veins, minor burns and sunburns.
Combinations:
- depression: rose petals and lemon balm in equal amounts
- pain relief: black cohosh, cramp bark, sassafras, willow bark in equal amounts
Cautions:
- **Holistic Herbal says this herb is not recommended for severe cases of depression.
- Can cause photosensitivity in some individuals.
- May not be advised for pregnant women (they should consult with their doctor)
CHINESE MEDICINE*
- Cool, bitter
- Liver, nerves
SOURCES
- Holistic Herbal, David Hoffman
- *The Way of Herbs, Michael Tierra
- Homegrown Herbs, Tammi Hartung
- Medicinal Herbs, Rosemary Gladstar
- photo credit: free photos & art via cc
I saw this growing wild in a field on an herb walk, but don’t have any personal experience with it yet!
