The medicinal part of the plant is found in the part of the plant that is above ground. The bright yellow flowers are so pretty to look at and so very good for you when your days are troubled and your nights seem to go on forever. Drinking this tea a couple of times a day for several months to get the benefit of the properties in the plant is recommended. This works slowly, but it does work, as many holistic healers will testify to.
Commercial teas are available, but if you want to make your own from plants that you have grown, you should start by harvesting the flowers, buds, leaves and stems. Dry them in a dry, dark area until the plant has lost all moisture. Wrap about 2 teaspoons of dried plant in cheese cloth and slowly steep in hot water to make the tea. Take note that some individuals may have an increased sensitivity to the sun while taking the herb. Be sure to consult your physician before taking this herb to prevent adverse reactions to prescriptive medicines.
St. John’s wort is not picky about where it grows, as many states have found to their disgust. In a period of dryness, this herb will need supplemental watering. Planting the seeds just one half inch under the soil, in and are that has full to partial sun is the ideal way to get beautiful plants. St. John’s wort is a perennial and comes back every year by self seeding. Fertilizers are only necessary if the soil is very poor.
In order to stop the plant from spreading to areas you don’t want it to grow in, a contained flower bed is the best place to cultivate this herb. Once this herb takes root, it will spread like wild fire and invade cultivated fields. This would be quite upsetting to farmers that do not like using extra herbicides on their fields.
From the time colonists brought this herb to North America to today, the rewards of the pretty flowers and medicinal properties of the plant and flowers has been valued as a natural treatment by holistic healers. This plant is a wonderful addition to any garden and seed is readily available at nurseries and garden stores in most regions. There are states that have made it illegal to sell the seeds because of the invasive properties of the herb. Check your local regulations to see if you can add this wonderful plant to your collection of home grown herbs.
