Everwilde Farms - 2000 Great St. John's Wort Native Wildflower Seeds - Gold Vault Seed Packet

This species of St John's Wort features tall plants, and large yellow flowers. The perennial is very easy to grow and is often grown for medicinal purposes. It produces a lot of seed, so spreads readily by reseeding. This flower earned its name by blooming at the time of the summer solstice, when the traditional feast of St. John takes place. Its reputed power to chase away evil comes from its effectiveness as an herbal treatment for depression and melancholy, which at one time were believed to be a sign of demonic oppression. The species name "punctatum" meaning "punctured" alludes to the tiny black spots on the leaves and blossoms; in reality, these are not holes but glands that contain the oils of the plant. The term "wort" comes from the Old English, referring to a plant commonly used for medicinal or herbal purposes.