You may have heard about Hypericum perforatum, the weedy little herb with bright yellow flowers and who may help with lifting depression. What you may not know is that it had blood red oil glands, anti-viral properties, can interact with medication and that the claim of the danger of photosensitive is way over-hyped.

This cheery herb gets the “perforatum” part of it’s Latin name from the small holes that you can find on the leaves. When held up towards the sky, they quite literally let the light shine through.
In a less literal way, St.John’s wort may help lift the blues. This can be especially helpful for that annual seasonal sadness that hits hard in high latitudes with little sunlight for months at a time (I write, as I stare listlessly out into the dark and misty Portland rain…)
While this herb has bright yellow flowers, the tiny red oil gland sprinkled on the leaves and flowers are what will cause a tincture, tea or oil to be a deep red. They simply look like tiny black dots but when you crush, soak or steep the plant, the oils are released. Pretty cool if you ask me! This feature can help you with plant identification and can also help you determine the quality of a St.John’s wort product.

Besides mood, this complex little herb is also used for wounds, viral infections such as herpes and shingles, and nerve pain and damage. It also has a stimulating affect on the liver. This could be beneficial for someone looking to kick start a sluggish liver, however, is can also affect medication by excreting it from the body too soon between doses. This is why it can interact with medication and why some people should consult their doctor before taking herbal supplements.
And lastly, will taking St. John’s wort cause you to get a horrible sunburn? There has been a less-than-ideal study on this subject , and while I can not say for sure, I will share my own experience (as a flaming “Ginger” mind you). I have taken daily doses of St.J’s in the late Summer and even when I was trying to squeeze out the last hiking and beach adventure days before Autumn, I never had a problem with sun-sensitivity.
-Stay Green and don’t forget to let that light shine through! – MossyTonic
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