St. John's Wort Story

From the ancient authority of Hippocrates through the Middle Ages, St. John’s Wort has been described and recommended as a remedy in all herbal references. Some people believe the plant was named to honor the birthday of St. John the Baptist because the golden yellow flowers of St. John’s Wort are particularly abundant on June 24th. The extracts of St. John’s Wort are blood red and because plants were often ascribed medicinal properties because of their color or shape, others believed the name originated with the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem who used it to treat wounds on the battlefield! The French name for St. John’s Wort is ‘toutsain’, because it was believed that this plant rather than chamomile could cure all ills. And, like chamomile, St. John’s Wort was thought to cure ‘evil spirits’.