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Making solar-infused St. John’s Wort oil at home is an easy, beginner-friendly way to start working with medicinal plants and makes for a wonderful addition for your home apothecary! There’s something so rewarding about harvesting flowers and immediately infusing them to make a powerful healing oil that you can use for a wide range of ailments. You can use the infused oil directly on your skin, or you can use it with a combination of other medicinal oils and beeswax to make a salve. Whatever you choose to use it for, I guarantee you will enjoy the process and I hope this fantastic herbal medicine proves to be useful if ever needed.
Benefits of St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum):
- Antibacterial, antiviral, astringent, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, sedative, and a restorative tonic for nervous system.
- Commonly used in treating depression, anxiety, stress, tension, and nerve damage.
- Main active compounds are hypericin, which increases the metabolism of serotonin and melatonin (also the compound responsible for the red pigment), and hyperforin, which contributes to emotional stability by regulating the uptake of dopamine, serotonin, and noradrenaline, allowing them to circulate longer in the body.
- The active compounds help speed recovery by promoting tissue repair and can also be effective in relieving pain.
What to use St. John’s Wort oil for:
- Burns
- Cuts, scrapes, and other minor skin injuries
- Bruises
- Sprains
- Ear infections
- Nerve damage (Bell’s palsy, multiple sclerosis, other nervous system diseases)
- Viral infections such as herpes and shingles
- Combine with other herbal infusions to make an all-purpose salve to promote healing of external wounds
Everything you’ll need:
- Hypericum perforatum (St. John’s Wort) flowers and buds: Freshly harvested. Dried flowers can be used, but they won’t be as potent. No need to be exact, but the optimal proportions are 70% buds and 30% flowers and leaves.
- Pure Organic Olive Oil: While you can use any good quality vegetable, olive oil is always the preferred choice for medicinal infusions. This is because it is more stable than other oils and will not go rancid as quickly, and also because olive oil itself is medicinal as it is rich in oleic, omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.
- Glass jar or bottle (with lid): You can use any clean jar or bottle to make your infused oil. Amber glass bottles are always a good option since they limit UV exposure, so your oils and extracts will last longer.
- Cheesecloth: For straining out the herbs.
Tips for harvesting St. John’s Wort flowers:
- Don’t over-harvest. Always be sure to leave plenty for pollinators and so that plenty will grow back the following year.
- Harvest buds when they are just ready to bloom or are have just bloomed. They should release a bright, reddish-pink sap when pinched between your fingers.
- Make sure they are completely dry before infusing them to reduce the risk of mold.
What to watch out for:
- Ornamental St. John’s Wort varieties: Make sure you’re working with the medicinal species, Hypericum perforatum, and not another species of St. John’s Wort.
- Signs of mold: Excess moisture in the jar can lead to mold or bacterial growth and spoil your infusion. Make sure the the flowers and jar are completely dry before combining them.
- Condensation: While your oil is undergoing solar infusion, condensation can tend to form inside the jar and can lead to excess moisture issues discussed above. Use a clean, dry cloth to wipe away any condensation that forms. If the problem persists, replace tight-fitting lid with layered cheesecloth or cloth cover to allow the condensation to evaporate.
- Spoilage: If the oil begins to smell rancid or “off” at any point, it’s probably spoiled. This means it’s no longer safe to use internally or externally, so go ahead and dispose of it.
Step-by-step guide to making St. John’s Wort infused oil:
Step 1:
Harvest buds when they are just ready to bloom or when they have just bloomed. Pinch one of the flowers in between your fingers and if it releases a reddish-pink sap, then you know they are ready to be picked!
Step 2:
After harvesting, lay flowers out to wilt and to allow any critters to bug off.
Step 3:
Transfer wilted flowers to a clean jar and fill with olive oil until it reaches between1-2 inches above the top of the flowers. Set in a sunny spot to infuse for 2-3 weeks.
As you can see, after a couple weeks the oil has turned bright pink from the extraction of the active compounds in the flowers and is ready to be strained and stored. Use a cheesecloth to strain into a clean jar and make sure to squeeze all the oil out of it so none goes to waste!
The infused oil should stay good for up to a year if kept in a cool, dark spot. Oxygen and sunlight will degrade it over time, but so long as there are no signs of mold and the oil doesn’t smell rancid, it should be safe to use! If you try making this St. John’s Wort oil infusion, let me know in the comments how it turned out and what you use it for. I always love to here about your experiences and feel free to share this post with a friend who you think might enjoy it too!
Sources:
- Ody, Penelope, The Complete Medicinal Herbal (New York: Dorling Kindersley, 1993), 68.
- Gladstar, Rosemary, Medicinal Herbs: A Beginners Guide (North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 2012), 197-202.
