Today we are going to talk about a very famous plant in Europe that has been able to adapt to practically all types of climates in these regions. It is about St. John’s wort. Scientific name Hypericum perforatum, It has a quite characteristic appearance that makes it unique since ancient times. It is the most abundant species of the family Hypericaceae.
Do you want to know everything related to this plant and its care?
Characteristics of hypericum holes
This plant is also known by its common names such as Little Heart or St. John’s Wort. Its origin is European and it has been able to adapt to all the climates of the continent. It has developed in low-lying and medium-altitude areas and has spread throughout Europe.
It is a plant that can reach up to 80 centimeters tall if it grows in a correct way. Normally, given the somewhat adverse natural conditions, it usually reaches only 40 cm. If it is cultivated and the environmental conditions are optimized, it can reach all its splendor. Its roots are woody and slightly branched. The stem has a reddish color and branches into two different branches. It is at this point of branching where the rest of the leaves grow in an opposite and oval shape. They have a dark green bundle and tiny transparent secretory glands.
Due to its intense yellow color of its flowers, since ancient times, it has been compared to the rays of the sun. These flowers have five large petals and tiny-sized secretory bags.
Its name “perforatum” is due to the fact that the transparent sachets that it has have essential oils that make them look like they have perforated sheets if you look at it against the light. The areas where they best reproduce and live are the temperate areas of Europe. Although over time it has spread to many areas of eastern Russia, the Middle East and North Africa. It is safe to say that its adaptability is so high that it is found even in Australia today.
The plant prefers rockier terrain, although it can thrive in almost any climate.
Hyperic uses
This plant has various uses today. First, it is very famous for its medicinal uses. To this day it is still used for some therapeutic applications and is even used in the pharmaceutical industry sector.
It is very good at speeding up the process of wound healing if applied topically. This healing ability is mainly due to the essential oils that make them appear to have perforated leaves.
In the pharmaceutical industry, this plant is used to treat people suffering from mild depression or anxiety. In this case, its application is standard, with normal amounts.
Although it is used as a medicine, if improperly ingested, it is capable of producing negative effects on our health. It must be known before ingesting that it is a powerful enzyme inducer of cytochrome, so it can have interactions with other substances such as digoxin.
Before digesting St. John’s wort, it is highly recommended to see a specialist who will advise correctly how it should be taken and how often.
Cultivation and care
Thanks to the great adaptive capacity of this plant, it is able to grow naturally in rocky or vacant land. It has also been seen growing on the edge of roads. All this means that this plant requires very little care.
Although it works best in temperate climates, it is also able to survive in some areas of Spain where winters are harsher. In areas where it is comfortable, it flourishes in the summer season.
If you plant it in your garden, all you have to do is apply a background subscriber with an average amount and you water it normally (once a week) so that the plant grows in size. In winter the irrigation has to be much less (and even more reduced if it rains frequently).
It must be borne in mind that, being in temperate climates, the optimum temperature at which the plant must remain is between 15 and 25 degrees on average. If we want it to grow the aforementioned 80 centimeters, we must be a little more rigorous with its care. The soil has to be lighter and with good drainage. The best time to transplant it is in autumn and winter.
It is advisable to prune it a little in autumn. They are generally quite resistant to the most common pests in gardens.
The fastest way to multiply the Hypericum perforatum es by cuttings. This should be done in the fall. It can also be done by division of kills when planting it.
Toxicity
The Hypericum perforatum show phototoxicity. That is, if we consume it for any medicinal purpose, we must bear in mind that it cannot give us the sun since we will develop some type of allergy.
The intensity of this toxicity depends on several factors. First of the amount of the active principle that we have applied to elaborate the medicine and, second, of the own sensitivity of each one.
It can also be toxic simply by ingesting it. There have been cases in which flocks of sheep have ingested them while grazing in the meadows and have suffered from the syndrome of the “swollen head”.
The mechanism of toxicity works in the same way when we apply it to the skin, since the active principle that is phototoxic circulates throughout the bloodstream. In the case of sheep, the effects are concentrated on the head, since it is the place on their body where, as they have less fur, they are more exposed to the sun’s rays. In humans it shouldn’t be a big deal if not ingested in large quantities. As always, before ingesting it, it is advisable to visit a specialist who will advise you on the amounts you should eat.
With this information you can surely enjoy the Hypericum perforatum in your garden and take advantage of its many medicinal benefits.
