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St John's Wort

St John's Wort (Hypercium perforatum) can be recognised by leaf and flower type. Yellow, five petalled flowers approximately 20mm across occur between late Spring and early to mid Summer. Leaves exhibit obvious translucent dots when held up to the light, giving them a ‘perforated' appearance, hence the plant's Latin name. St John's Wort is a perennial herb with extensive, creeping rhizomes. Its stems are erect, branched in the upper section, and can grow up to 1m high. The leaves are yellow-green in color, with transparent dots throughout the tissue and occasionally with a few black dots on the lower surface. Its flowers measure up to 2.5 cm across, have five petals, and are colored bright yellow with conspicuous black dots.

St John's wort, is a plant of the sun, according to Culpeper. Its bright yellow flowers are sun-like; folklore maintains that the colour of the plant's juice -- red -- represents the blood of the beheaded John the Baptist. The saint's day is 24 June, three days after the summer solstice, an eve and day of historical customs of sun-worship, bonfires and magic. There are, real and imagined, traditions that blur the connection between the two. However, it is held as fact that St John's wort always blooms for the 24th of June -- even after cold and erratic springs such as we're having in the UK this year. Go out into your garden, shady woods or meadows and see for yourself.

If you are fortunate enough to have this herb growing in your garden or are able to ethically wildcollect it, you can make some healing oil from the flowering tops (leaves included). Mythology aside, it will yield a most extraordinary red oil which can be used in many ways -- including for "red hot pain".

St John's Wort growing in the wild in Derbyshire

St John's WOrt Oil Infusing picture copyright Sarah Head of Springfield Sanctuary

Homemade St John's Wort Infused Oil
(picture courtesy of Sarah Head)

Infused Oil of Hypericum

To make an infused oil, herbs and spices are heated in a "fat" base. Traditionally, the base would have been olive oil, clarified butter, hog's fat, goose grease or suet. Today a light, neutral vegetable oil like sunflower oil is most often used, although the healing properties of butter are being reassessed. The recipe is the same for all fats.

There are two very different ways of heating the oil. You can make what is called a COLD infused oil - using only sunlight to supply the heat, or you can make a HOT infused oil on the cooker (stove). When heated, the oil takes on the therapeutic properties of the herbs and spices that have been soaking in it. The oil can then be used as a massage oil, rub, bath oil, skin lotion or as a base for an ointment, salve, cream, suppository, liniment or plaister -- which is a thick ointment spread on a cloth and applied to the skin. It is similar in concept to a poultice, generally made from fresh herbs applied to the skin and held in place with gauze of cotton strips. A plaister is not a sticking plaster (bandaid). Dried or fresh ingredients can be used to make an infused oil.

Dried or fresh ingredients can be used to make an infused oil.

St John's Wort Cold Infused Oil

Collect flowering tops. There's much plantlore that's been written, or passed down, about when to pick St John's wort. Suffice to say, as with all herbs, pick on a dry day. The important thing to remember is that late June is when the herb's constituents are most powerful, and it is these which will be infused into the oil.

Ingredients:

Large jar with a screw top
Sunflower Oil (olive oil is too heavy with this herb)
St John's Wort flowering tops

Method:

Fill a large jar with sunflower oil.
Crush the flowers a bit before putting them into the oil and make sure that they are fully covered but not packed too tight.
Cover with an airtight lid and leave in direct sunlight.
Shake every day or occasionally. The oil will be ready in a few months time.
The minimum length you should give your oil is 6 weeks; the longer the better.
The oil will slowly turn blood red. When it is an incredibly deep, rich red, then it's ready to be strained through muslin or a sieve.
Bottle in a clean jar and label. It should last at least 2 years.

Notes - Hypericum infused oil is good for any "red hot pain"...for damaged nerves, shingles, inflamed joints, eczema and sunburn. It can be used as a massage oil on backs or stomachs to relax spasms.

Four hundred years ago, Gerard, in his History of Plants, called the infused oil "a most pretious remedie". It is!

Coming Next Month.....

Learn about simple ways you can ease the irritation, dryness, and tiredness of your eyes from everyday irritations and pollution using herbs as treatments for the eyes.

This recipes above are courtesy of Christopher Hedley, AHG and Non Shaw. The Herbmonger first appeared on the Herb Society website in 1998 and continued until about 2002. It is the creation of Christopher Hedley AHG and Non Shaw. And reappears back on the Herb Society website with the kind permission of Chris and Non.

Both are practising medical herbalists in London and have co-authored Herbal Remedies: A Practical Beginner's Guide to Making Effective Remedies in the Kitchen. Parragon Press, 1996 ISBN-10: 0752577514 .

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