The Happy Plant

St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a leafy perennial with bright yellow, five-petaled flowers that is about as bright and luminous as the sun itself! It is famous for the fact that it begins to bloom right at the summer solstice, or St. John’s Day, for which it is named. If you hold a St. John’s flower petal up to the light, you will see the light pop through numerous tiny holes, or perforations, giving the flower its latin name - perforatum, and an additional element to its luminous quality.

This luminescent quality, and the perforations in the petals translated into its medicinal uses in many early folk traditions, most likely due to a belief in the Doctrine of Signatures. This early belief system held that physical characteristics of a plant could predict its action on the human body. The bright flowers indicated the ability to brighten a dark mood. The perforations were believed to indicate usefulness for wounds.

The Doctrine of Signatures has certainly fallen out of favor by now, but many studies have been done on St. John’s Wort and have found that it could possibly have a positive effect on mood in some mild cases. Dried St. John’s Wort can steeped as tea, tinctured, or used for topical applications.  

Precautions: St. John’s Wort may interfere with some medications, particularly anti-depressants. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.