St. John's Wort - Hypericum perforatum
COMMON NAMES
St. John's wort, Klamath weed
LATIN NAME
Hypericum perforatum
FAMILY
Hypericaceae
PARTS USED
Bud, flower, leaf
DESCRIPTION
An aromatic weed, St. John's wort generally reaches one to three feet high. This perennial bears yellow-green oval leaves and golden yellow flowers that are scattered with yellow or black dots of oil glands and lines.
HABITAT
Native to Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia, St. John's wort can be found around the world.
FOLKLORE AND TRADITIONAL USES
The ancient Greeks and Romans placed Saint Johns wort above statues of their gods and in their homes to protect them from evil spirits. Named by Christian mystics after John the Baptist, perhaps because the plant blooms around the time of the saint's feast day, June 24th, the plant was traditionally collected on that day and soaked in olive oil. After several days, the oil would turn blood-red, symbolizing the blood of the martyred Saint John. On the eve of his feast day, the plant was brought into houses and placed under pillows or was cast into bonfires to ward off evil spirits, to invoke the blessing of St. John, to prevent death, and to preserve crops.
MEDICINAL USES
St. John's wort plant has been used in herbal healing for more than two centuries. It was employed by Crusaders and Civil War soldiers to treat battle wounds. After Europeans introduced St. John's wort to America, Native Americans used it to treat minor cuts, premenstrual syndrome, rheumatism, diarrhea, fevers, snakebite, and skin disorders. Modern research has proved St. John's wort's effectiveness as an antidepressant in cases of mild-to-moderate depression. Hypericin, one of the plant's active constituents, has been investigated as an antiviral agent against HIV, but the research did not indicate its effectiveness.
WHERE CAN I BUY ST JOHNS WORT?
ZooScape.com has a wide selection of St. John Wort capsules, powder, liquid extracts, creams, salves and tea.
COMMON NAMES
St. John's wort, Klamath weed
LATIN NAME
Hypericum perforatum
FAMILY
Hypericaceae
PARTS USED
Bud, flower, leaf
DESCRIPTION
An aromatic weed, St. John's wort generally reaches one to three feet high. This perennial bears yellow-green oval leaves and golden yellow flowers that are scattered with yellow or black dots of oil glands and lines.
HABITAT
Native to Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia, St. John's wort can be found around the world.
FOLKLORE AND TRADITIONAL USES
The ancient Greeks and Romans placed Saint Johns wort above statues of their gods and in their homes to protect them from evil spirits. Named by Christian mystics after John the Baptist, perhaps because the plant blooms around the time of the saint's feast day, June 24th, the plant was traditionally collected on that day and soaked in olive oil. After several days, the oil would turn blood-red, symbolizing the blood of the martyred Saint John. On the eve of his feast day, the plant was brought into houses and placed under pillows or was cast into bonfires to ward off evil spirits, to invoke the blessing of St. John, to prevent death, and to preserve crops.
MEDICINAL USES
St. John's wort plant has been used in herbal healing for more than two centuries. It was employed by Crusaders and Civil War soldiers to treat battle wounds. After Europeans introduced St. John's wort to America, Native Americans used it to treat minor cuts, premenstrual syndrome, rheumatism, diarrhea, fevers, snakebite, and skin disorders. Modern research has proved St. John's wort's effectiveness as an antidepressant in cases of mild-to-moderate depression. Hypericin, one of the plant's active constituents, has been investigated as an antiviral agent against HIV, but the research did not indicate its effectiveness.
WHERE CAN I BUY ST JOHNS WORT?
ZooScape.com has a wide selection of St. John Wort capsules, powder, liquid extracts, creams, salves and tea.
