A Great Medicine: Hypericum

[covenrochester]

Hypericum perforatum

If you listen to the old Witches in your area on the topics of herbalism and herbal healing, you will find that they mention certain plants time and time again. These will generally be plants growing in the area or region, and to which they have easy access. These oft-mentioned plants I have come to call the "Great Medicines." They are usually readily available in garden or field, have uses in remedy of several medical or physical conditions, are easily made into various preparations, have well-known dosages, and have no confusing-looking poisonous cousins.

On my own list of Great Medicines is Hypericum perforatum. In my region, it blooms starting around the Summer Solstice. The medicine comes from the blood-red oil produced by tiny blackish spots on its yellow flowers, although I have also used the green aerial parts, too. From the plants in my garden I have made tinctures, oils, ointments, and lotions.

You may sometimes find a different type of Hypericum growing wild or in wildflower seed mixtures: the Hypericum pseudomaculatum. This looks like Hypericum perforatum, but it does not produce the medicinal red oil in any useful quantity. Hence its name: pseudo (false) maculatum (spotted): False-Spotted Hypericum, for its tiny blackish spots that hold no promise of medicine.

*** Blessed be to those who serve the Great Mother and the Horned Father.

* Copyright to Coven Rochester