Meet the Plants: St. John's Wort
A Golden Ally for Nerve, Light & Renewal

Each June, as the sun climbs toward its summer zenith, I find her beaming from the roadsides and field edges, sunny, star-shaped blossoms twinkling like solar flares among the grasses. I always feel a quiet thrill spotting her ~St. John’s Wort~ radiant and ready, marking the threshold of midsummer magic.

She tends to appear when I most need reminding of inner light, especially during times of transition, grief, or nervous exhaustion. I often pause just to hold a flower between my fingers and feel that faint stain of crimson emerge. A whisper from the plant world: You’re held. You’re healing.

A Glimpse into Her History

Named for St. John the Baptist, whose feast day falls near the summer solstice, St. John’s Wort has long been associated with protection, purification and the power of the sun. Ancient European traditions placed sprigs above doorways to ward off evil spirits and invite blessings. The plant’s crimson staining oil was seen as both sacred and symbolic of martyrdom used by mystics and midwives alike.

Her Latin name, Hypericum perforatum, refers to the tiny perforations on the leaves (glands filled with essential oils) and “hypericum” may mean “above an apparition,” again referencing her protective nature.

Herbal & Traditional Uses

• Topical use: Supports healing of minor wounds, burns, bruises, and nerve pain (including sciatica or shingles)
• Internal use: Traditionally used to support mood, nervous system health, and sleep cycles (consult healthcare practitioner)
• Traditional systems:
• Folk herbalism: Widely used for “melancholy,” seasonal affective imbalance, and spiritual protection
• Western clinical herbalism: Nervine, vulnerary, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant properties noted
• Energetic/Emotional: Brings light to dark places, eases spiritual exhaustion, helps restore boundaries
• Common preparations:
• Infused oil (topical only)
• Tincture (fresh plant preferred)
• Tea (less common, slightly bitter)
• Flower essence (for emotional and energetic use)

“The sun in a flower, gathered to restore the soul.”

Why I Work With Her in My Apothecary

St. John’s Wort holds a beloved place on my apothecary shelves, especially in summer. I work with the fresh flowers only, gathered at their solar peak, and infused into oil that slowly turns the color of garnet. This oil is offered on its own and also as a tincture, my new muscle and joint balm (still in testing), and appears in most of my lotions.

She feels like firelight in my hands, warming, wise and deeply comforting. I always harvest with care and gratitude, mindful of the season and the needs of the land.

Fresh vs. Dried: What Makes the Difference?

One of the most important things to know about St. John’s Wort is that her medicinal potency changes dramatically depending on whether she’s used fresh or dried and which preparation method you choose.

Fresh Plant Magic

• Fresh flowering tops contain the highest levels of hypericin and hyperforin, two key constituents often credited with mood-lifting and nerve-supportive properties.
• When infused into oil or tinctured immediately after harvest, the plant yields its characteristic deep red hue.

Use fresh plant for:

• Infused oils
• Tinctures
• Flower essences

Dried Plant Use

Drying reduces the levels of volatile oils and hyperforin, meaning it’s less potent for certain uses. Still, dried St. John’s Wort can be beautifully supportive in gentle teas or topical blends.

Use dried plant for:

• Herbal teas
• Incense or ritual bundles
• Milder topical compresses

Sunlight & St. John’s Wort: A Tale of Two Paths

Taken Internally: A Caution About Sun Sensitivity

When taken internally, St. John’s Wort can cause photosensitivity in some people. This means your skin may become more reactive to sunlight, especially with higher doses or fair complexions.

⚠️ Talk with your healthcare provider before using SJW internally, especially if you’re on medications or sensitive to sunburn.

Used Topically: A Solar Ally

In contrast, the infused oil is traditionally used to soothe sunburn, windburn and mild skin inflammation. Rather than making you more sensitive, it supports tissue recovery and calms the skin after sun exposure.

Red oil from a sun-kissed flower, medicine in perfect seasonal rhythm.

Forager’s Guide to St. John’s Wort

Where She Grows

• Sunny roadsides, meadows, pastures, gravel banks
• Prefers poor, disturbed soils
• Common along trails, fields, and rural fence lines

How to Identify

• Five-petaled yellow flowers, often with tiny black dots on petals
• Perforated leaves, hold to the light and see clear dots
• Red juice from crushed buds
• Woody base on mature stems

Blooms near the summer solstice, June 24th is St. John’s Day.

Harvesting Tips

• Harvest top 4-6 inches while in bloom
• Gather on dry, sunny days
• Use sharp snips, never pull
• Harvest ethically, no more than 1 in 10 plants

Processing & Storage

• Use fresh flowers for oil or tincture same day
• Dry small bundles out of direct sun for tea use
• Store in dark, cool places to preserve potency

Recipes & Formulas

St. John’s Wort Infused Oil (Topical Use Only)

• Fresh flowering tops
• Organic olive oil (or your carrier of choice)

Infuse 4-6 weeks in sun, strain, and store. Use on nerve pain, sore muscles, sunburn, or minor wounds.

Nerve-Soothing Salve

• 1/2 cup SJW infused oil
• 1/4 cup calendula oil
• 1 tbsp beeswax
• 10 drops lavender EO

Melt oils and wax, stir in essential oils, pour into jars. Use for sciatica, back pain, and nerve tension.

Golden Midsummer Mead with St. John’s Wort, Cherry & Vanilla

A deep, mellow, slightly magical seasonal brew

This mead celebrates St. John’s Wort’s midsummer bloom by pairing her sunny floral notes with tart cherries and warm vanilla. Fermented with raw honey and aged to mellow perfection, it’s a golden sip of sunlight for darker days.

“A drink of the sun, preserved in honey and fruit.”

Ingredients (for 1 gallon batch):

• 1 gallon filtered or spring water
• 3 cups raw local honey
• 1 loosely packed cup fresh St. John’s Wort flowers (or ½ cup dried)
• 3 heaping cups pitted tart cherries (fresh or frozen)
• ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• Zest of 1 organic lemon (optional)
• 1 packet champagne, mead, or wine yeast (e.g. Lalvin EC-1118 or D-47)
• 5-6 organic raisins or 1 tsp yeast nutrient

Directions:

1. Heat about half the water just enough to dissolve the honey, do not boil. Stir in honey & St Johns wort until fully mixed.
2. Let the mixture cool to below 90°F.
3. Add cherries, vanilla bean, lemon zest (if using) Stir gently.
4. Pour everything into a sanitized primary fermenter (glass jar or bucket). Add the rest of the water to fill to the 1-gallon mark, leaving 1-2 inches of headspace.
5. Pitch (add) the yeast and drop in 5-6 raisins.
6. Cover with an airlock (preferred) or a cloth secured with a rubber band if doing an open fermentation. Keep in a dark, room-temperature spot.
7. Stir or gently swirl daily for the first 3-5 days. Let ferment in the primary vessel for 1 week.
8. Strain through cheesecloth into a sanitized secondary fermenter (glass jug or carboy). Attach an airlock and let age for 6 weeks in a cool, dark place.

Tasting Notes:

• Color: golden blush with ruby undertones
• Aroma: warm honey, subtle cherry, soft vanilla
• Flavor: light floral start, tart cherry middle, smooth lingering finish

🍷 This lightly floral, cherry kissed mead is mellow, bright and slightly magical, just like the plant herself.*

 

Final Thoughts

St. John’s Wort is one of my most treasured summer allies, brilliant, bold and deeply healing. Her medicine moves through body and spirit alike, shining into the hidden places we sometimes forget. I'm grateful each time I find her on a sunlit trail or tucked into a tincture bottle.

Explore St. John’s Wort-infused oils and balms at Willow Moon, and may she light your path when you need it most.

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