St John's-wort received its name because the fact that it flowers at the time of the summer solstice on or around St. John's day on 24 June. Having been administered by the Roman military doctors, doctors prescribed St John's-wort as early as the 1st century AD.
Hypericum perforatum is native to Europe and Asia, but has spread to temperate regions worldwide. It was introduced to North America from Europe. The flower occurs in prairies, pastures, and disturbed fields. It prefers sandy soils.
“Did you know St John's-wort was used by the Greeks and Romans for treatment of melancholia, snake bites, cramping, upset stomach, and superficial wounds as far back as about 400 B.C ."
Description
St John's-wort is a herbaceous perennial plant that has perforated leaves that grow opposite from each other, the leaves can typically grow upto 2 cm long and .5 cm wide. St John's-wort can grow to a height of 1 m with the stems at times being reddish in color. Flowers on this beautiful plant can be upto 2.5 cm in diameter they are yellow with black dots that are hard to see with the naked eye sometimes. Some say St John's-wort can be a invasive species due to its rapid spreading rhizomes.
Habitat
St. John's wort is commonly found in dry, sandy soils, fields, pastures, and abandoned fields. It enjoys full sun but can tolerate partial shaded areas.
Harvesting
Harvesting St John's-wort can be done a few different ways, one is to cut the flower tops off to obtain the flowers, another is to cut near the bottom to collect the leaves and flowers. If one is only looking to harvest the leaves its best done before flowering occurs.
Medicinal Benefits
St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) has a history of use as a medicine dating back to ancient Greece, where it was used for a range of illnesses, including various nervous disorders. St. John's wort also has antibacterial, antioxidant, and antiviral properties. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it has been applied to the skin to help heal wounds and burns.
The red, oily extract of H. perforatum has been used in the treatment of wounds for millennia, including by the Knights Hospitaller, the Order of St John, after battles in the Crusades, which is most likely where the name came from. Both hypericin and hyperforin are under study for their potential antibiotic properties.
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