Typically flowering on the longest day of summer, this ‘sunshine’ plant is a powerhouse of usefulness. Topically it is a skin plant for cuts, burns, wounds, bruises and some skin diseases. You can use it freshly picked, rubbing the flowers straight onto the skin. You can also chop up small or liquidize the top parts (small top leaves but mostly flowers) and put the ‘mash’ over the area as a fresh poultice (covered in material to hand and with a hot water bottle on top if you wish). Alternatively, make St John’s Wort oil, soak the flowers and top leaves in olive oil, cramming in as much plant material as possible. Shake daily and watch the oil turn a little red. After 3-3 weeks strain it off and you will now have your own ‘St John’s Wort oil’ for topical use.
St John’s Wort is, of course, invaluable internally for low mood, depression, S.A.D and more. (It also comes with a long list of when you must not and cannot take it, and having read this through, you are then free to try it out if appropriate. It especially must not be mixed with anti-depressants and those taking 5HTP.)
Another use for St John’s Wort is to increase deep sleep (rapid eye movement). It helps to normalize and balance neurotransmitter function as it contains amino acids that are neurotransmitter building blocks. So ultimately it can have a calming and anti-depressant effect and will help build and repair adrenal glands that are low or dysfunctional.
