Saint John’s wort: traditional uses, forms and cautions

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Saint John’s wort is the small yellow-flowered roadside plant whose tops turn an infusion pink and an oil deep red. Herbalists have used it for centuries for low spirits, nervous tension and grazed skin. Here is which part to pick, when, how to prepare it as tea, tincture or oil, what it tastes like, and why it is one of the plants you must clear with a pharmacist first.

What it is credited with

• Traditional European herbalism has long used the flowering tops as a tonic for low spirits, melancholy and the flat, joyless mood that follows a hard stretch.
• Naturopathy credits it with a calming effect on nervous tension, irritability and restless, broken sleep.
• Herbalists from the ancient Greek writers onward reached for it for nerve pain and the aches described as neuralgic.
• Folk practice in Germany and central Europe gave the plant a reputation for easing the mood swings and restlessness that go with the monthly cycle and the years around menopause.
• The red macerated oil has a long external reputation for bruises, sprains, chapped lips and hands, minor burns and sore, weather-beaten skin — and older household manuals used it on nappy rash.
• Herbal tradition also describes the plant as astringent and soothing to a sluggish, uncomfortable digestion.
• In old European wound lore, a cloth soaked in the oil was bound over cuts and grazes; herbalists still list it among their skin-repair oils.

How to use it

The infusion

• Use one teaspoon of dried flowering tops per large cup of water just off the boil.
• Cover and leave to steep about ten minutes, then strain.
• Traditional practice is one cup, up to three across the day, the last one in the evening.
• Herbalists usually suggest a run of a few weeks rather than a single cup, then a break.
• The taste is bitter and hay-like: a little honey or a pinch of lemon balm or mint makes it easy to finish.

The tincture

• Bought ready-made, it is taken as a few drops from the dropper stirred into a small glass of warm water.
• A lemon balm infusion instead of plain water is the classic evening version.
• Follow the dropper count printed on your bottle — strengths differ from one maker to another.

The red macerated oil (external use)

• Pack a clean jar loosely with fresh flowering tops picked at midsummer, wilted for a few hours.
• Cover completely with olive or sunflower oil, seal, and stand the jar on a sunny windowsill.
• Shake it daily. Over two to three weeks the oil turns deep ruby red; strain into a dark bottle.
• Smooth a little onto bruises, chapped hands or tired skin — never onto broken, weeping or infected wounds, and not before going out in the sun.

Capsules and tablets

• Pharmacy products are standardised extracts; stick to the maker’s instructions on the box.
• Ask the pharmacist to check them against anything else you take before you start.

Frequently Asked Questions

The one thing to remember: pick the flowering tops at midsummer, use a teaspoon per cup steeped ten minutes — and check with a pharmacist first if you take any medication at all.

Which part of the plant do I actually pick?

The flowering tops: buds, open flowers and the young leaves immediately below them. Crush a bud between your fingers — if it stains them purple-red, the plant is ready. Cut on a dry morning, midsummer, well away from sprayed verges and railway lines.

What does the tea taste like, and how long do I steep it?

Grassy and resinous with a bitter, astringent finish, and the liquid turns a pinkish brown. One teaspoon of dried tops per large cup, covered, ten minutes. Honey, lemon balm or mint makes it much more pleasant to drink.

Can I take it alongside my medication?

Not without asking first. Saint John’s wort is one of the best-known plants for interacting with medicines, from the contraceptive pill to blood thinners and prescribed mood treatments. If any treatment has been prescribed following a doctor’s assessment, speak to your physician or pharmacist before you start.

Why does the oil turn red?

The black dots on the petals hold pigments that dissolve into the oil as the flowers steep. Fresh tops covered with olive oil and left in a sunny spot for two to three weeks give a deep ruby oil, traditionally rubbed on bruises, chapped hands and minor burns — on intact skin only, and not before sun exposure.

Is it safe in pregnancy or for children?

It is not recommended during pregnancy and is best avoided while breastfeeding. Children and teenagers should not take it without professional guidance. When in doubt, choose a gentler plant such as lemon balm or chamomile.

• Read also: Growing Saint John’s wort at home

This information is provided for general interest and reflects the traditional use of plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice. If you are on medication, pregnant, or in any doubt, ask a healthcare professional.