St John's wort: magical uses, folklore and safety

How to read the labels Historical what the old sources say. Later tradition what later writers added. Modern modern practice and my own notes.

St John’s wort is the herb of Midsummer. Its bright yellow, star-shaped flowers open around the summer solstice, and if you crush a flower bud between your fingers, it leaves a red-purple stain. Folklore read that red as blood and that gold as sunlight, and modern witches use the plant for light, protection and courage in dark seasons.

At a glance

How witches use St John’s wort today

Modern In contemporary witchcraft, St John’s wort is mainly a Midsummer herb and a symbol of carrying light through darkness. Because of its drug interactions, I use it only externally, as a dried herb or a picture of it.

Midsummer. Witches gather the flowers on or near the solstice, the traditional moment, and dry a bunch for the year. Hung over the door, woven into a solstice crown or laid on a Litha altar, it marks the turning of the sun.

Light for dark seasons. A small sachet of dried flowers, gathered in summer and opened in midwinter, is a lovely way to bring the solstice into the dark months. Light a yellow candle beside it on a winter evening as a reminder that the light returns.

Protection. Following its old name, “flight of demons,” modern witches add it to protection charms for the home and for children’s rooms, always out of reach.

Windows and doors. In European folklore, bunches were hung in windows against storms, fire and ill-wishers. Modern witches keep a dried bunch in a window jar or above the door from one Midsummer to the next.

Love divination. A sprig under the pillow on Midsummer Eve to dream of a future love is another folk use that survives as a playful solstice practice.

Courage and banishing gloom. A dried sprig on the desk during a gray stretch of life can be a symbol of choosing to seek help, light and company. It is never a substitute for treatment if you are depressed.

Red oil. Many herbalists make a red infused oil from the fresh flowers. If you make one for ritual use, label it “not for food” and do not put it on skin before sun exposure.

Tarot pairing. I pair St John’s wort with The Sun for Midsummer joy, and with The Star for light after darkness.

Journal prompt. What brings light into my life in the darkest month, and how can I prepare it now?

Try this: a summer light sachet for winter

1. Around Midsummer, gather or buy a handful of dried flowering tops.
2. Write on a paper: “The light I gathered in summer stays with me.”
3. Tie the herb and paper in a yellow cloth and date it.
4. Store it in a dark drawer, away from pets.
5. On the winter solstice, open it beside a candle, read the paper aloud and remember one bright day from the summer.
6. Compost the herb and start a new sachet next Midsummer.

Folklore and history

Historical The plant is named for Saint John the Baptist, whose feast falls on 24 June, close to the solstice. Its medieval Latin name fuga daemonum (“flight of demons”) reflects the belief that it drove away evil spirits, and across Europe it was hung over doors and windows on Midsummer Eve.

Later tradition The species name perforatum refers to the tiny translucent dots on the leaves, which look like pinpricks when held to the light. Nicholas Culpeper (1652) placed it “under the celestial sign Leo, and the dominion of the Sun.”

Modern St John’s wort is now widely sold as a supplement, which is exactly why its interactions matter.

Safety

Safety first: interactions, sun and pregnancy. St John’s wort can make many medicines fail, including birth control pills, antidepressants, blood thinners and HIV and transplant drugs. It can cause strong reactions to sunlight. The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health warns that it may be unsafe in pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Never take it without a doctor’s or pharmacist’s advice. Hanging a dried bunch is not the same as swallowing capsules.

Drug interactions. According to the US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, St John’s wort can weaken or interfere with many medicines, including birth control pills, some antidepressants, blood thinners such as warfarin, and HIV and transplant drugs. Combining it with certain antidepressants can be dangerous. Never take it without asking a doctor or pharmacist.

Sunlight. It can make skin more sensitive to the sun.

Pets. The ASPCA lists it as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Keep bundles and sachets high.

Mental health. If you are struggling with low mood, please talk to a doctor. A Midsummer herb is a beautiful symbol, not a treatment.

What next

St John’s wort shares its sunny themes with calendula. For more Midsummer ideas, see Litha, and for the full list of beginner herbs, my guide to herbs.