St. John's Wort

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Faerie

 

 

 

ST. JOHN'S WORT

Healing

 

Uses: Herbalists have long employed an ointment made from St. John's

Wort as an astringgent for bruises, skin irritations, insect bites, and

other wounds.

American Indians used a tea brewed from the plant for tuberculosis and

other respiratory ailments. Plant extracts have exhibited

anti-inflammatory activity in laboratory animals, and in test tube

experiments extracts have been active against the bacterium that causes

tuberculosis.

the herb is said to soothe the digestive system. in paticular, its

ingredients wwere thought to relieve ulcers and gastritis, and the herb

was called on as a folk medicine for diarrhea and nausea. bruises and

hemmorroids are said to repond to it. It has served as a sedative ,

painkiller, and analgesic. the blossoms have been added to sweek oil(a

refined olive oil used medicinally) for a soothing dressing for cuts(as

stated above). Herbalists credit it with increasing and inducing a sense

of well-being. It has even been said to help repair nerve tissue after

trauma.

 

Toxicity:

There is also a dangerous side to St. John's Wort , and until more is

learned about this side, the plant and its oil should be used with

caution, if at all. In Australia it is a rampant weed, it has killed

pale- pigmented sheep and goats by inducing photosensitivity. if an

animal or a light-skinned human eats the plant, exposure to direct

sunlight may causse dermatitis, inflammation of mucous membranes, and

more toxic reactions. Drinking the flower tea may cause skin burns.

 

MAGICKAL USES:

Worn St. John's Wort wards off fevers and colds, makes soldiers

invincible, and atrracts love. If it is gathered on Mid-summer or on a

Friday and worn it will keep mental illness at bay and will also cure

melancholy.

When placed in a jar and hung by a window, St John's wort protects

against thunderbolts, fire, and evil spirits. Both flowers and leaves

are used for this purpose. It is also dried over the mid-summer fires

and hung near the window to keep ghosts, necromancers, and other evil

doers from the house, and is burned to banish spirits and demons.

Any part of the herb placed beneath the pillow allows unmarried women

to dream of their future husbands. Use in rituals or carry to detect

other magicians; at one time it was held to the mouth of accused witches

to attempt to force them to confess.

 

FOLK NAMES;

Amber, Fuga Daemonum( Latin: Scare-Devil), Goat Weed, Herba John,

john's Wort, Klamath Weed, Sol Terrestis, tipton Weed.

GENDER- Masculine

PLANET- sun

ELEMENT- fire

DIETY-Baldur

POWERS-Health, protection, Strength, Love divination, Happiness

 

OTHER USES-Because of its antibiotic properties, the herb is now being

investigated for use as a food preservative.

 

DYE- yellows and reds can be obtained from the flowering tops and stems

of St. John's Wort, depending on the mordant used.

 

ORNAMENTAL- many hypericums are more suited to the perrenial bed, but St

John's Wort is lees sensitive to frost, and it does add cheer in the

middle of the summer when little else blooms.

 

CULTIVATION- the herb grows wild. To transfer it to an herb garden or

perenial bed, dig it intact. It may also be started from seed, cuttings,

or division done in the fall. Even though it is a hardy perenial, St.

John's Wort is short-lived.

Despite the fact it grows from runners, it is seldom invasive and can

be controlled by pulling. Plants are comercially available and are often

used in native gardens.

Habitat: meadows, dry pastures, and roadsides.

Range; Native to Europe, it is naturalized in Quebec and Ontario and in

the eastern half of the United States, the Pacific Northwest south to

northern California, and central Nevada.

Indentification: An erect perenial herb that grows up to 32 inches tall

and has a somewhat woody base. Oblong leaves grow in opposite pairs. The

flowers (June- September) have 5 yellow petals, which often have black

dots at the margins.

Harvesting and Storage: For medicinal use, the leaves are either dried

and stored in a dark place or pressed for the oil. the oil is added to

olive or other vegetable oils, but it turns red with age. kept in a dark

container, the oil will keep for two years. The oil content of the

plants is highest in the morning.

 

 

Taken from the books " Magick and Medicine of Plants " by Readers Digest

" Encyclopedia of Magickal Herbs " by

Scott Cunningham

" Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs "

by Rodale Press

 

 

Faerie

 

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