St. John's wort
Hypericum perforatum L.
Botanical family: Hypericaceae
A perennial with yellow flowers dotted with glands, the translucent 'perforations' visible on the leaves against the light. The red oil macerate is traditionally applied externally to burns and irritations; internally, the plant is reputed to support mood and has been studied for mild-to-moderate depressive states.
Full sun
Dry, poor, drained
Moderate, tolerates some drought once established
Very hardy
Overwinters in your zone
Role in permaculture
A perennial of banks and dry meadows, with solar yellow flowers. A major medicinal (mood support), but with significant drug interactions.
Companions
No companion planting is documented for this plant: no recommended neighbour, no neighbour to avoid.
Insects attracted or useful
Seasons & availability
Flowering tops picked around midsummer, in June and July.
Available: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.
Guidance for the oceanic / temperate climate; it may vary with your region, altitude, exposure and growing method.
Sources
- Plants For A Future, « Hypericum perforatum » (pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Hypericum+perforatum)
- Tela Botanica, « Hypericum perforatum L. » (tela-botanica.org/bdtfx-nn-35348-description)
Nutritional & medicinal properties
For educational purposes. Not a substitute for medical advice. Effects depend on the form, the dose and personal context.
Precautions & contraindications
MAJOR drug interactions, through induction of CYP3A4 and P-glycoprotein: hormonal contraceptives (risk of failure), antidepressants, anticoagulants, immunosuppressants (risk of transplant rejection), certain heart treatments, and ANTIRETROVIRALS. The EMA has issued a specific alert: St John's wort strongly reduces the concentrations of certain antiretrovirals, with a risk of failure of HIV treatment. Never combine it with a medicine without medical advice, in particular when on chronic treatment. Photosensitising: avoid intense sun during the course. A depressive state requires medical follow-up.
In the kitchen & the apothecary
Where to find st. john's wort in preparations: recipes and traditional herbal teas.
Infusions & herbal teas
Species & varieties
The best-known species and varieties in France.
Species
Voices of peoples
Paraphrases attributed to their documented sources. Never an invented quote.
Greco-Roman medicine, Dioscorides (Pedanius Dioscorides) · Greek-speaking eastern Mediterranean, 1st century AD (De Materia Medica, book III, around 77 AD)
Dioscorides, a Greek physician in the service of the Roman army, describes several species of Hypericum that he distinguishes under the names hyperikon, askyron, androsaimon, and koris. He recommends them above all, paraphrased from his text, for pain of the hip (traditionally read as sciatica), drunk with mead, and applied to burns. It is the medicinal use, care of burns, that crosses the centuries down to today's oily macerate, and not the magical use.
Pedanius Dioscoride, De Materia Medica, livre III (Ier s. apr. J.-C.) ; Wikipédia, article « Hypericum perforatum » ; blog du Metropolitan Museum of Art / The Cloisters (2009).
Dioscorides describes strictly medicinal properties, with no magical dimension. The exact identification of his species remains debated by historians of botany. Nothing sacred here.
Folklore of St John's Day, medieval Christian Europe · Western Europe, Middle Ages and early modern period (summer solstice / 24 June)
In the Christian folklore of St John's Day, St John's wort is the 'herb of St John': its flowering tops are gathered around 24 June, the nativity of John the Baptist, the moment when its virtues were believed to be multiplied tenfold. It was hung on the doors of houses and stables to keep away evil spirits and protect people and beasts, and it was burned in the St John's fires to protect the harvests. The purplish-red juice released by its crushed buds was likened to the blood of the beheaded John the Baptist. From this apotropaic use comes its Latin nickname fuga daemonum ('flee, demon'), at the origin of the French 'chasse-diable'.
Blog du Metropolitan Museum of Art / The Cloisters, « Midsomer Magick: Hypericum perforatum » (2009), citant l'herbier médiéval Hortus Sanitatis ; Wikipédia, article « Hypericum perforatum » (poème anglais The Feate of Gardening, nom médiéval « herbe Ion »).
This is popular folklore, flagged as such: protection against 'demons' is not a verified fact but a documented belief. In the medieval period, this 'demon' also covered melancholic states, which echoes, without retrospectively proving it, the modern use studied in mild depression. A Christian religious tradition, not a secret one.
Before you forage
This plant is often gathered from the wild. Only pick what is abundant, never a protected species, and never uproot a whole plant (roots) without the landowner's permission. Rules vary by country and region, check locally.
Key takeaways
- • Prefers full sun exposure.
- • Ideal soil: dry, poor, drained.