St. John's wort

This cheery yellow flower is found all over the world, in uncultivated area, woods, roadsides, meadows, hayfields - in fact, it is so abundant in some areas it is considered a weed. But herbalists and wildflower afficionados have a different view of St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum).

The bright terminal blossoms and leaves on these one- to three-foot tall plants are prized especially for one of the plant's active ingredients: hypericin. Blossom time runs from June to September in most climes. Prime harvest time for St. John's, or St J, traditionally fell on June 24 - St. John's Day, of course.

When harvesting for medicinal purposes, it's useful to check for hypricin strength. The simplest method is to pluck a flower or two, rub between your thumb and fingers, and see if your finger tips become stained with the signature blue-violet dye released from the hypericin-filled little black dots that border the flower petals. The darker the stain, the better the hyperion!

Oh yes - it does wash right off. No blackberry picking permanent-purple- fingers type stains.

Or, you can put the flowers in a small jar, cover with vodka, and see if the liquid turns bright red, or dark red, or maroon. Again, the darker the dye, the stronger the hypericin content. I prefer the cheaper finger squish method...

St. John's wort has been in common use for literally centuries - an herbalist's volume noted it in 1597. I can remember my parents using "red oil" while growing up. It was the farmer's "Red Turkey oil". Pharmacists also used to dispense "Hyperion liniment."

So what is it used for?

Among other actions, St. John's wort is antibacterial and anti-inflamatory. Steeping the flowers in olive oil results in the trade-mark red oil, which can be used as-is on bruises, spains, burns, sore muscles, all sorts of skin irritations. Or, with the addition of beeswax, the oil can be made into a salve. I like to combine it with other like-minded oils for a marvelous healing salve. (for salve how-to, see archive for Plantain salve...)

To make the oil, fill a jar with flowers (and top leaves if you want), mash a bit with a fork, then fill the jar with olive oil, stirring as you go to fully immerse all plant material. Add more flowers if needed. Set in a warm place, shake the jar daily for 2-3 weeks. Strain out the plant material, and bottle the oil in a dark container. Kept in a cool place, the oil will be good for a year.

St. John's wort may be dried, and used in teas and tinctures. Drying effectively disables the hypericin (which may not be a bad thing - no purple Chow tongues...) but brings into use other components. Cut the top third of the plant, and hang to dry.

St. John has long been used as a sleep aid and for depression. It is an herbal aid, not the "magic bullet" our society has come to expect for every problem. Herbs tend to work gently with our bodies, over a period of time. St. John in tea or tincture works as a mild nerve tonic. It may help relieve anxiety, insomnia, depression, and general unrest.

NOTE: if you want try St. John's for a depression issue, please consult with your physcian or naturopath. Here is a link to a monograph that explains it much better than I have room: http://www.stevenfoster.com/education/monograph/hypericum.html

St. John's wort tea or infusion is reported to help with bedwetting. An ounce of dried flowers steeped in hot water, taken as a 1-2 Tablespoon dose, is said to be effective. It's been awhile since I wet the bed, so I can't really test this one....

To make a tincture, stuff a jar with the flowers, fill it with 100-proof vodka to cover the flowers, and lid. Shake daily for 2 weeks. Strain out the plant material, and store the red tincture in dark dropper bottles. Dosage is noted as 2 droppers 3 times a day.

I am always excited to see the first St. John's wort blossoms in the summer. The field that resulted in the "Mullein Mania!" post also had a good amount of St. John's wort. On another harvesting foray, my friend Laurie joined me for several hours of herby delight. When we had returned to our cars, the farmer and his wife had to come see what we had harvested, and had many questions. I had a tin of salve with me (as always), to show-and-tell; what a wonderful opportunity to provide a bit of herbal education!

St. John's wort is easy to harvest, easy to fill jars with the flowers and oil, and I know I can count on it for wonderful healing experiences.

Mullein magic

You have probably noticed the tall, single-spired stalks dotted with yellow blossoms, rising from softly colored greyish green leaves. They are easily identified by their height, along roadsides, maybe in your yard borders or garden. This is our common Mullein (Verbascum thapsus), and it is in prime season right now. Which is why it is our next herb to get to know and harvest.

Mullein is currently taking the lead in my collecting. With cold and flu season creeping up, I want a good supply of this herb. Mullein oil is used to soothe earache pain - if you have punks, you'll want some on hand. Mullein leaves provide important lung-support. We'll get into that part next time.
For this post, I want to encourage you to find some mullein, and harvest enough flowers to fill a glass jar - any size, depending on your supply of mullein. Then fill the jar with olive oil, to cover the flowers. Put a label on that jar: Mullein in olive oil, date. Let them infuse for at least two weeks in a warm place.

(While you're at it, do the same with Calendula flowers, and St. John's wort flowers, if you are sure of your identification - we'll be collecting these flowers this week, also, so don't panic. They will play a part in an up-coming earache oil...)

If you have enough Mullein flowers, also start a jar of tincture. Fill a second jar, with at least 2 cups of flowers, and cover with 2 cups of 100 proof vodka. 80 proof is OK, if that's all you can find. The 100 proof is 50% alcohol, the 80 proof is 40% alcohol. More on the tincture to come.

This oil and tincture are the start of your arsenal against fall and winter ear and lung afflictions.


Check back tomorrow for more on Mullein.

Your homework: locate some Mullein. Don't forget to ask permission if it's on private property...most people consider mullein a weed and will be astonished to hear you actually want it! You will want to return several times to the plant(s), to harvest more flowers since they don't all come on at the same time.

Go forth and FIND MULLEIN!!

Red clover, red clover, come on over...

Even if you are new to wildcrafting (harvesting wild edibles), or lack a knowlegable person to take a walk with you, you can feel pretty confident identifying and using Red clover (Trifolium pratense). It is common in fields, waysides, and probably your lawn. The reddish rounded flower head has long been a source of many a childhood "honey feast". Remember nipping off the ends of each floweret and letting the tiny drop of nectar enchant your tongue?

The groups of three leaves, with the lighter v-shaped 'chevron' on each leaf, is distinct. The smaller white clover has the same pattern, but the white-tinged-with-pink flower color is totally different. Often found growing together, the red clover towers over it's sweet little neighbor.

The open flower heads are easily harvested. Just pop them off the stem, discarding the first leaves under the sepal if you want only the flower. Use only the freshly opened flowers, the brown heads have lost their good stuff.

It takes a little time to fill a bowl, but oh, what bliss to be outdoors on a sunny day, walking slowly from flower to flower, drinking in the fragrant air!

Harvesting red clover blossoms is a perfect opportunity to include a child on your walk. Easy to identify and fun to pluck, the clover welcomes them to the world of wildcrafting.

Be prepared for some interesting conversation...bees, butterflies and GRASSHOPPERS are always found in clover patches!

Wildcrafting is a joyous, calming connection with nature.

When your container is full, there are several ways to use and preserve this sweet kiss.

Drying the flower heads can be as simple as spreading them on a sheet and air drying in an undisturbed place. I like to use the dehydrator, mostly for speed of processing. It's a busy time, with daily harvesting of many different plants.

Red clover can be made into a tincture, with many medicinal qualities. The blossoms, fresh or dried, may be made into tea or an infusion. Red clover oinment is skin soothing.

Red clover fritters are on my "try it" list. The blossoms and small leaves are often used in wild salads.

This is prime red clover time - it blooms from late June through September, depending on your climate. When the red-purple blossoms show up in the hay field after the hay is harvested, I start picking and drying. Red clover has so many medical benefits (cough season is waiting in the wings), I don't want to be without it.

Here is a link for some details on Red Clover - apologies for the advertising, but the information is very complete - worth a read:

http://www.answers.com/topic/red-clover