Sativa - St. John’s Wort – Seeds

• A sunny disposition: St. John’s Wort is regarded as a “bringer of light”. In naturopathy, it is traditionally used to lift the spirits and for nervous restlessness.
• Bee pasture: With its numerous stamens, St. John’s wort offers a rich supply of pollen. It is a valuable food source for honeybees, hoverflies and many of the over 500 native wild bee species.
• Red oil: The flowers contain the pigment hypericin. If you rub the yellow flowers between your fingers, a deep red liquid emerges, which is used to produce the well-known ‘red oil’ (for skin care and rubs).

Cultivation & Care

St. John’s wort loves the sun and makes few demands on the gardener:

• Location: Prefers a full-sun position. The more sun the plant gets, the higher the concentration of active ingredients.
• Soil: Nutrient requirements are low; poor, well-drained soils are ideal.
• Sowing (light-dependent germination): The seeds are extremely fine and require light to germinate. They should therefore not be covered with soil (sowing depth 0 cm).
• Pricking-out tip: It has proven effective to prick out the young seedlings in small clumps (rather than individually) to form a strong clump from the outset.
• Crop rotation: To avoid wilt disease, ensure a wide crop rotation (do not grow St. John’s wort too often in succession on the same plot).

Important planting information

• Botanical name: Hypericum perforatum
• Lifespan: Perennial
• Sowing depth: 0 cm (light-dependent germination!)
• Spacing within the row: 20 cm
• Spacing between rows: 40 cm
• Hardiness: Generally hardy, but young shoots may be sensitive to frost.

Ecological contribution: Bee-friendly

This plant is labelled bee-friendly. At a time of dwindling biodiversity, St. John’s wort offers a reliable source of energy for pollinators. As the flowers produce a particularly large amount of pollen, it is an important stop for insects collecting protein for their brood.