Season Window
15 Jun – 31 AugSunny banks, rough grassland, open scrub and field edges
Midsummer flowering tops
St John's Wort
Hypericum perforatum
Its midsummer flowers invite close observation of one of Europe's best-known herbal plants.
Harvest
How we meet this plant
Observe flowering tops in clean, abundant stands; avoid collecting from protected or sprayed ground.
Preparation
At the kitchen table
Do not make a home medicinal product without checking interactions with a pharmacist or clinician.
Community Use
Why we teach it
A clear example of why familiar herbs still need careful medicine-interaction checks.
Safety
St John's Wort interacts with many medicines, including contraceptives, antidepressants and transplant medicines; it may also increase sun sensitivity.