Now that summer is in full swing, it's the perfect time to forage St. John's wort! This St. John's wort oil is so easy to make and is a great way to utilize the many benefits of this amazing plant! This oil is meant to be used topically and not to be taken internally.
One of the things mom loves most about living in Montana is learning about the local plants and their many uses. She forages arnica, yarrow, plantain, selfheal, dandelion, St. John's wort, and other plants and uses them to make healing salves which she sells in her Etsy shop.
Jump to:
- 🌼 What Is St. John's Wort?
- 🩺 Benefits of St. John's Wort
- 🧐Why This Recipe Works
- 🛒What You Need For This Recipe
- 🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- 🔪 Helpful Tools For Infused Oils & Salves
- 🫙How To Make St. John's Wort Oil
- 🌻 How To Make St. John's Wort Salve
- 🔎 Foraging & Identifying St. John's Wort
- 🤷🏻♀️FAQs
- 👩🏼🍳Pro Tips
- Related Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
🌼 What Is St. John's Wort?
St. John's Wort, or Hypericum Perforatum, is a flowering plant that can be found in North and South America, Eurasia, South Africa, and Australia. Although it's commonly considered to be an invasive weed, this flower and its leaves have many beneficial properties.
It is said that St. John's wort is named after St. John the Baptist because it blooms on his birthday, June 24th. My question is this, how do they know his birthday?
Common St. John's Wort is what we use, but Western St. John's Wort can be used as well, although its effects are less potent.
🩺 Benefits of St. John's Wort
St. John's wort was used by the ancient Greeks to treat many ailments, both when taken internally, and when applied to the skin.
When ingested in the form of a tincture or tea, St. John's wort has been used to treat everything from digestive problems to mood disorders and depression. It has also been known to be effective as a treatment for insomnia, anxiety, and OCD.
In regards to external use, it is especially effective at treating pain ranging from minor cuts and scrapes to nerve and muscle pain, sciatica, and menstrual cramps.
It also contains antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties which is why it's said to be effective in treating minor burns, including sunburns. The best way to take advantage of these benefits is by making an oil or salve. You can find instructions for both in this post!
St. John's wort may also be beneficial for treating:
- Neuralgia
- Skin inflammations
- Wound healing
- Kidney and lung conditions
- Bruises
- Sore muscles
- Irritability
- Insomnia
- Depression (not meant for major or severe depression)
- Premenstrual syndrome
- Menopause symptoms
Warning: In rare cases, hypericin may cause rashes and hives when ingested or applied externally.
It also should not be taken by those on some antidepressants such as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) or those with Bipolar Disorder as it may increase the risk of mania.
St. John's wort, when taken orally, can intefere with birth control pills and other medications. If unsure, have a discussion with your healthcare provider before taking St. John's wort internally.
It can also be dangerous for animals to ingest.
🧐Why This Recipe Works
- You only need 2 ingredients to make St. John's wort oil!
- This oil is a natural pain reliever and a great alternative to traditional anti-inflammatories.
- You can use the oil to make St. John's wort salves, which make great gifts and stocking stuffers.
🛒What You Need For This Recipe
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- St. John's wort flowers: Although you can use dried flowers, fresh flowers are a better option.
- Oil: Grapeseed oil is great for your skin but you can also use jojoba oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, or organic olive oil.
- Cayenne pepper: Optionally, you can add cayenne peppers to make this a warming oil.
*If you choose to make the salve, you will also need beeswax and shea butter. Beeswax comes in bars too, but the pellets are easier to melt.
🔪 Helpful Tools For Infused Oils & Salves
- Quart-sized mason jar
- I highly recommend this candle-making pot. It makes pouring the oil into the canisters much easier!
- Soup bag or fine mesh strainer
- 1-ounce or 2-ounce tins
- Labels
🫙How To Make St. John's Wort Oil
Step 1: Snip fresh St. John's wort flowers and buds off from the top of the plant until you have approximately 4 cups of flowers. If you have less, you can make a smaller batch.
Pro Tip: In this recipe, we're using 4 cups but you can make a smaller batch, for example, 1 cup of flowers to 1 cup of oil.
Step 2: Make sure the flowers are dry. If they're damp, lay them out in a single layer on a tray and air dry them for an hour or so. Add St. John’s wort flowers to a sterilized mason jar and pour enough grape seed oil to fully submerge them.
Pro Tip: If you want to make St. John's wort warming oil, add a couple of fresh or dried cayenne peppers.
Step 3: Screw cap onto the jar, write the date and contents of the jar, then place in a sunny location. Shake daily during the first week to redistribute the flowers and keep them submerged. After that, shake once a week or when you remember.
Pro Tip: As you shake the jar to crush the flowers and the sun warms the oil, it will slowly turn red.
Step 4: After 4 to 6 weeks have passed, strain the oil using a fine mesh strainer, or a soup bag, then pour into one or more sterilized jars. Your oil is now ready to use on your aches and pains and makes a great message oil!
If you would like to make St. John's wort salve with the oil, see directions below.
Pro Tip: If some sediment remains in the oil, you can strain it again using a coffee filter.
🌻 How To Make St. John's Wort Salve
Step 1: Add 1 cup of St. John’s Wort infused oil, 1 ounce of beeswax pellets, and ½ oz of shea butter to a saucepan.
Pro Tip: You can also add vitamin E oil or a few drops of your favorite essential oils to the oil mixture before you pour it into canisters.
Step 2: Turn the heat to the lowest setting and allow the wax and shea butter to melt completely, stir as needed then pour into 1 or 2-ounce tins.
🔎 Foraging & Identifying St. John's Wort
St. John's wort typically grows in meadows and forests, but because of its ability to thrive in less-than-ideal environments, it can be found along roads and in cities as well. It typically begins blooming around the end of June and throughout July.
St. John's wort can be identified by its bright yellow flowers which smell similar to lemons and grow in clusters on woody stems that can reach up to 3 feet in height. The flowers themselves have five petals covered in tiny, discreet black dots, and many long stamens in the center. The leaves are stalkless and are shaped like small pointed oblongs.
🤷🏻♀️FAQs
Depending on a number of factors such as the variety and quality of the flowers, St. John's wort oil should start turning red after 2-3 days, but can sometimes take a week or two before you start seeing a change in the color.
Unlike in the making of most floral or herb-infused oils, St. John's wort oil needs to be made with fresh flowers, rather than dried ones, to get the full benefits. If you use dried flowers to make it, your oil won't be as concentrated with hypericin, the beneficial substance that gives it a red color.
Yes, although you may want to note what kind of oil it is made with as some are more likely to clog your pores than others.
👩🏼🍳Pro Tips
- If you're unsure if the variety of St. John's wort you have access to will be beneficial, try crushing the flowers between your fingers. They should stain your fingers red; the more red pigment, the more beneficial it will be!
- You can increase the flower-to-oil ratio to make the oil even more potent.
- Some herbalists recommend infusing the oil in a dark location while others recommend keeping the jar in sunlight. I've found that either will work.
- St. John's wort oil should be good for at least one year. Adding vitamin E can help lengthen its stability.
- Store the oil in dark bottles in a cool, dark location. Refrigerate or freeze for longer storage.
Related Recipes
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📖 Recipe
St. John's Wort Oil
Equipment
- 1 quart-sized mason jar
- sauce pan or candle making pot
- soup bag or fine mesh strainer
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh St. John's wort flowers
- 3¼ cups grapeseed oil
- 2 cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Snip fresh St. John's wort flowers and buds off from the top of the plant until you have approximately 4 cups of flowers. If you have less, you can make a smaller batch.
- Make sure the flowers are dry. If they're damp, lay them out in a single layer on a tray and air dry them for an hour or so. Add St. John’s wort flowers to a sterilized mason jar and pour enough grape seed oil to fully submerge them.
- Screw cap onto the jar, write the date and contents of the jar, then place in a sunny location. Shake daily during the first week to redistribute the flowers and keep them submerged. After that, shake once a week or when you remember.
- After 4 to 6 weeks have passed, strain the oil using a fine mesh strainer, or a soup bag, then pour into one or more sterilized jars. Your oil is now ready to use on your aches and pains. It also makes a great message oil! If you would like to make St. John's wort salve with the oil, see the direction in the post.
Notes
-
- If you're unsure if the variety of St. John's wort you have access to will be beneficial, try crushing the flowers between your fingers. They should stain your fingers red; the more red pigment, the more beneficial it will be!
- In this recipe, we're using 4 cups but you can make a smaller batch, for example, 1 cup of flowers to 1 cup of oil.
-
- You can increase the flower-to-oil ratio to make the oil even more potent.
-
- Some herbalists recommend infusing the oil in a dark location while others recommend keeping the jar in sunlight. I've found that either will work.
- If some sediment remains in the oil, you can strain it again using a coffee filter.
-
- St. John's wort oil should be good for at least one year. Adding vitamin E can help lengthen its stability.
-
- Store the oil in dark bottles in a cool, dark location. Refrigerate or freeze for longer storage.
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