Practical
Plants

Hypericum ascyron

Great Saint John's Wort

a perennial member of the Hypericum genus in the family Hypericaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
1.5 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Young leaves, shoot tips and flowering buds - cooked[2][4]. The leaves are a tea substitute[4].

Plant part
Leaves
Product or use
Tea

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The fruit is emmenagogue and is also used to treat skin complaints and gonorrhoea[6]. The whole plant is depurative, febrifuge, poultice and vulnerary[3][6]. A decoction is used in the treatment of boils and abscesses, headaches and stomach ache and vomiting[3]. The root is considered to be specific for use in treating the first stages of consumption[7]. A powder made from the boiled root has been applied as a poultice to draw the poison out of a snake bite[7].

Product or use
Depurative
Product or use
Emmenagogue
Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Poultice
Product or use
Stings
Product or use
VD
Product or use
Vulnerary

Environment

Range
N. America - Quebec to Manitoba, south to Kansas, Iowa and Missouri. E. Asia.
Habitat
Grassy places in the mountains of N. Japan[8].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 3+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 10°c. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in spring. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Easily grown in any reasonably good well-drained but moisture retentive soil[1]. Succeeds in sun or semi-shade but flowers better in a sunny position[5].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  3. ? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X

    ↩1↩2

  4. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩1↩2

  5. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩

  6. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩1↩2

  7. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2

  8. Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965-00-00

    ↩

Edit this page