St. John’s Wort is a perennial herb that grows in many places around the world. It has been used as a medicine for a long time. While it wasn’t popular in the 1800s, new research has brought it back to the forefront as a very effective way to treat nervous disorders. In clinical trials about 67% of patients with mild to moderate depression improved when taking this plant. The flowers and leaves can relieve pain, kill germs, calm spasms, smell good, make you sweat, help with digestion, make you pee, help you cough, calm you down, relax you, make you alert, and make you more vulnerable. This cheery yellow-flowered plant is used in treating a wide range of disorders. The common name comes from its traditional flowering and harvesting on St Johns day, 24th of June.
St. John’s Wort is easy to spot because its base is almost woody, its leaves are opposite each other, its flowers are bright yellow, and its leaves have clear dots on them. – click for video -.
St. John’s wort flowers are bright yellow. Numerous flower clusters are at ends of branches with each flower measuring about 2 cm across. It has five yellow petals with a few small black dots on the edges. There are also many stamens in three clusters and a single pistil in the middle. St. John’s wort blooms from June to August.
The leaves are easy to spot because they have clear dots all over the tissue and sometimes a few black dots on the bottom. When you hold the leaves up to the light, you can see clear dots that make them look like they have holes in them. This is where the plant’s Latin name comes from. It has opposing, stalkless, narrow, oblong leaves that are about 15 mm long.
St. In many parts of the world, including central and eastern Canada, St. John’s Wort grows in dry, sandy soils, fields, pastures, abandoned fields, and other sunny places.
The aerial plant is dried for a variety of uses. Fresh flowers are used in making healing oils and they can be tossed into salads. Fresh leaves can be used in salads.
St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a fascinating medicinal plant with a rich history and vibrant yellow flowers that make it a prime subject for garden and nature photographers. As an avid blogger and photography enthusiast, I set out to learn more about this exceptional plant and capture its stunning beauty through my camera lens.
When taking photographs of St. John’s wort, one is presented with endless possibilities to showcase its visibly striking qualities. The brightly colored flowers clustered in branching cymes contrast beautifully against the fresh green leaves when photographed up close. I particularly enjoy photographing the flowers backlit by the morning or evening sun which makes the translucent petals glow.
Capturing the intricacies of the St. John’s wort flowers and leaves by focusing on one particular component, like the prominent stamens or the tiny perforations on the leaves from which it derives its species name, also yields eye-catching macro photographs. Photographing a field of St. John’s wort swaying gently in the breeze evokes summertime tranquility. Lightly diffused natural light creates soft shadows that accentuate the texture of the numerous petite flowers.
When featuring St. John’s wort in its natural setting, I’m able to highlight the hardiness and adaptability of this wild plant. Photographing it sprouting up resiliently from rock crevices and along roadside ditches provides glimpses into the environments it thrives in. Juxtaposing St. John’s wort against weathered barn wood or incorporated into an herbal wreath ties in its long history of medicinal and cultural uses.
To portray St. John’s wort as the versatile garden plant it is, I photograph it in cultivated beds and pots showcasing its ornamental appeal through arrangements with companion plants. Vivid yellow St. John’s wort flowers popping out from behind deep purple bee balm or peeking through the wispy leaves of ornamental grasses make for striking photographs.
When featuring St. John’s wort in its role as an important medicinal plant, I strive to capture its healing essence through photographs of the flowers and leaves illuminated softly in dawn’s light alongside old medicine bottles or captioned with apothecary labels. Backlit window lighting and a shallow depth of field helps create an atmospheric mood in these images.
As a prolific self-seeder, photographs of St. John’s wort readily reseeding in beds and sidewalk cracks tell the story of its prolific nature. Endearing images of children discovering these little wildflower volunteers also highlight the plant’s charm.
To showcase the full life cycle of St. John’s wort, I make it a point to photograph not only its flowers but also the fresh green spring foliage, theInteresting seed pods that persist through winter, and even the small yellow leaves it gets in autumn. Photographing the geometric arrangement of its black seed pods against the snow gives unique seasonal interest.
Whether capturing St. John’s wort’s botanical details, its role in the garden, or its place in the wild, photography allows me to share the beauty of this special plant with others. Through creative compositions and thoughtfully crafted lighting, my photographs celebrate both the vibrancy and nuance of this prolific wildflower. The versatility of St. John’s wort gives photographers like myself abundant opportunities to portray its visual charms.
Frequency of Entities
Getty Images:
- St. John’s wort: 22
- Hypericum: 3
- Medicinal: 0
- Flower: 7
- Plant: 12
iStock Images:
- St. John’s wort: 27
- Hypericum: 2
- Medicinal: 0
- Flower: 4
- Plant: 6
iNaturalist:
- St. John’s wort: 2
- Hypericum: 21
- Medicinal: 0
- Flower: 12
- Plant: 7
Winter Survival Food Handbook
Learn how to survive on
St Johns Wort groundcover Hypericum calycinum – pollinator friendly flowering evergreen groundcover
FAQ
Does St. John’s Wort come back every year?
Where is the best place to plant St. John’s Wort?
Is St. John’s Wort an invasive plant?
What does St John’s wort plant look like?
How many St Johns wort plants photos are there?
Browse 899 st johns wort plants photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more photos and images. Browse Getty Images’ premium collection of high-quality, authentic St Johns Wort Plants stock photos, royalty-free images, and pictures.
Can you grow St Johns wort in the wild?
While it’s most commonly harvested wild, you can also grow St. Johns’ wort in your garden with these St. Johns Wort Seed Packets, so you’ll always have it fresh at hand when you need it. The scientific name, Hypericum perforatum, actually gives a clue that’s really valuable for identifying the St. Johns Wort plant in the wild.
Is St Johns wort a good herb?
The herb is only potent when used or extracted fresh, and dried St. Johns Wort herb is more or less useless. If you want to use the St. Johns Wort plant to make your own remedies, learning to identify this common herb in the wild is essential. Saint Johns Wort plants are perennial herbs that spread through underground rhizomes as well as seeds.