St. John's-Wort
Hypericum perforatum
In the Garden
Transplant the shrubs into the garden spaced 24 to 36 inches apart and at the depth at which they grew in their containers. They grow to only 1 to 3 feet tall with a spread of 18 inched to 2 feet wide. Water slowly and deeply after planting and keep the soil moist until the transplants are well established.
The blossoms last from midsummer until fall, and they are followed by colorful berries. St. John’s wort is a very attractive ground cover and soil stabilizer. Once established, the plants need no care. These plants can be used in containers and rock gardens, and will make a nice edging for a sidewalk or pathways where you don’t want to obstruct the view.
A note of caution if you wish to grown this herb: Due to concerns over phototoxicity to livestock, H. perforatum is listed as a noxious weed in several western states in the United States. Check with your local authorities before planting St. John’s-Wort.
Precautions and Contraindications
St. John’s-Wort has many precautions and is contraindicated for many conditions involving the use of prescription and conventional medications so please make sure that you are fully informed of these precautions before even attempting to use this herb. That being said, research studies, using St. John’s-Wort by mouth for up to 12 weeks has appeared to be safe, but because St. John’s-Wort interacts with many drugs, it might not be safe for many people. It may not be safe to use if you take antidepressants, use birth control pills, cyclosporine (which prevents the body from rejecting transplanted organs), some heart medications, HIV drugs, some cancer medications, blood thinners and certain statins.
St. John’s wort may cause increased sensitivity to sunlight, especially when taken in large doses. When used topically, avoid direct sunlight. Cattle grazing on this plant have died from sunburn, so it is truly important to stay out of the sun while using St. John’s-Wort
Other side effects can include insomnia, anxiety, dry mouth, dizziness, gastrointestinal symptoms, fatigue, headache, or sexual dysfunction.
As with any herbal medicine, it may not be safe to use St. John’s wort during pregnancy or while nursing. It has caused birth defects in laboratory animals. Nursing infants of mothers who take St. John’s wort can experience colic, drowsiness, and fussiness.
Did You Know?
The name St. John’s wort apparently refers to John the Baptist, as the plant blooms around the time of the feast of St. John the Baptist on June 24th.
Making Medicine
There are many forms in which St. John’s-Wort can be made into medicinal preparations. Probably the most common is an oil, salve or a powder preparation for external use. St. John’s-Wort can also be used to make alcohol, vinegar or glycerin tincures and the powder can be placed in capsules.
Other Common Names
St. John’s-Wort is known by many other names such as klamath weed, goatweed, tipton weed, amber touch-and-heal, demon chaser, hardhay, and the most common being hypericum.