History
Physiology
Range and Habitat
Uses
Photos
History
Hypericum perforatum has long been used as an ancient folk cure for maladies including wounds kidney and lung ailments, and depression. Hypericum was even prescribed by Hippocrates, the father of medicine, Dioscorides, the foremost Greek physician, and Pliny, a well-known Roman physician. Hypericum was used in the 18th and 19th centuries by European and American doctors as a treatment for headaches, bedwetting, burns, puncture wounds, vertigo, hyperhidrosis, melancholy, and paranoia
But Hypericum has a history in magic, as well. During the witch scares, it was believed that, if St. John’s wort was forced into the mouth of an accused witch, it would force them to confess. Welsh families used it to guage the lifespan of family members. Each family member would cut a piece of the plant, and they would hang their separate pieces on a rafter before bed. In the morning, the wilted state of the sprig would represent the length of life of each family member.
In German, the name for St. John’s wort is hexenkraut, meaning witches herb or magic herb. In Greek, Hypericum perforatum means 'over the apparition," a name based on the belief that the odor of the herb was so potent that evil spirits would depart when they smelled it. The Old English definition of 'wort' is root, thus the name of the plant really means St. John's Root. In England, there are two theories on the meaning of St. John's Wort:
The black-red spots on the petals of the plant symbolize the blood shed by John the Baptist at his beheading, and the translucent spots on the leaves represent the tears shed because of the event.
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Hypericum blooms in the summer, which corresponds to the celebration of St. John's Tide, hence the name St. John's wort.
(Information from http://demeter.hampshire.edu/~cjarvis/NS120/2002/sjw/history.html)
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Physiology
Hypericum is a short, yellow flowering plant. The leaves of Hypericum, when held to light, reveal translucent dots, giving an impression of perforations on the leaves. The dots are a layer of colorless essential oils and resin.
The flowers of Hypericum are a bright yellow-orange, and the petals are covered with black dots. When these dots are rubbed between the fingers, the fingers will turn red. Many herbalists believe that the black-red dots and the translucent 'perforations' contain the most medicinal properties in the plant.
(Information from http://www.healthy.net/asp/templates/Article.asp?Id=915)
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Range and Habitat
St. John's wort is native to Europe, West Asia, North Africa, Madeira and the Azores, and is naturalized in many parts of the world, notably North America and Australia (4,5). The plant spreads rapidly by means of runners or from the prodigous seed production and can invade pastures, disturbed sites, dirt roads, the sides of roads and highways, and sparse woods. In the western United States, St. John's wort is especially prevalent in northern California and southern Oregon.
(Information from http://www.healthy.net/asp/templates/Article.asp?Id=915)
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Uses
Hypericum is being studied for use in treating the following ailments:
- Epilepsy
- Depression
- Alcoholism
- Bed-wetting
- Night terrors
- Insomnia
- Headaches
- Rheumatism
- Anxiety
- Burns
- Nervousness
- Menstrual cramps
- Ulcers
- Respiratory problems
- Bronchitis
- HIV
- Stress
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Photos
Photo by Steven Foster
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Photo from Southwest Missouri State University Biology Department
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Photo by Steven Foster
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