Saint John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) seeds, organic [CA, CO, MT, SD, WA no]
$3.95 – $350.00
Family: Saint John’s Wort (Hypericaceae)
Hardy to Zones 3 to 7
(St. John’s Wort) Herbaceous perennial with worldwide distribution. We love this herb that volunteers so selflessly for the betterment of all. Traditional usage (TWM): restore damaged nerve tissue, strengthens urinary organs, antidepressant. Plant prefers dry to mesic, poor or quickly draining soils, full sun. Light dependent germinator. Sow in spring. Use very sandy soil mix, press seed firmly into surface and keep evenly moist and in the light until germ, which takes about 5 days. Transplant or thin to 2 feet apart. Flowers yellow to 30 inches. Many growers have had questions about this herb because it looks a bit like 2 different herbs depending on the season. First year it creeps and crawls, and second year it sends up multiple stiff stems that flower yellow in midsummer.
Packet contains 500 seeds
1 g contains ~8,000 seeds
5 g contains ~40,000 seeds
10 g contains ~80,000 seeds
100 g contains ~ 800,000 seeds
Certified Organically Grown
Due to noxious weed laws, seed of Hypericum perforatum not available to the states of California, Colorado, Montana, South Dakota or Washington.
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Question
Amanda Barrett Wilcox (verified owner) –
Hi Rico
Do you have any tips for rust? I’m in humid Northern Virginia area and I know to remove and burn affected plants, space wide and w alot of circulation and change area of planting. Any other thoughts?
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Richo Cech –
hello amanda, thanks for writing. I’m not real familiar with this because we don’t have this fungus here. Since the spores overwinter on carbonaceous debris, and since SJW grows well in mineral soil without mulch, probably your best bet is to grow them in sand, that will certainly help. richo
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Amanda Barrett Wilcox (verified owner) –
Good idea. I will give the sand a! try. Thank you!
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Question
Sage –
Can these be grown entirely indoors over winter? Will they produce flowers in the first year?
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Richo Cech –
hello sage, SJW is an herbaceous perennial that flowers in the second year. I suppose if one had a professional grow room with lights and fans, etc., that one could grow it indoors. But it is the herb of the sun, it wants the sun, it will be depressed until it gets… the sun. richo
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Question
Sam –
Do you have to cold stagger it before germination if planted now in July?
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Richo Cech –
Hi Sam,
I haven’t ever cold stratified SJW seed. However I haven’t tried planting it in July, either. For fall planting, I usually start in September, and by then the soils have cooled somewhat. Try some, surface sow it and keep moist and in the light and see what happens. experiments are at the root of success. richo
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Amy (verified owner) –
Planted Spring 2020, excellent germination, grew enough to establish despite hot summer. Harvesting sunny yellow little blossoms this Spring for tincture and leaving some for wild bees who love them too.
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Piolin (verified owner) –
I planted the seeds I ordered from you in 2020, in 2021 they’re blooming but I have a question, why my oil didn’t turn red when I put the flowers in, and I don’t see the “see through” in the leaves?
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Richo Cech –
Hi Piolin,
Not much to go on here but my guess is the flowers were not ground up before adding to the oil Check “Making Plant Medicine” for the procedure. Wish I could show you the technique for holding the leaf to the light to see the oil glands–keep trying. richo
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Question
beth brayer (verified owner) –
Hi – I am looking forward to planting hypericum next spring. What would be a good time to order seeds? I live abroad, so the seeds might be out in the cold before they arrive, so I’m reluctant to order them in the dead of winter.
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Richo Cech –
hi Beth,
Probably best to start in spring. The new crop will be available from November on.
Richo
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Question
ce (verified owner) –
hi. I purchased seeds in 2019. Didn’t get to plant them in the winter of 2020. I winter sowed them in milk containers out side. in Feb. of 20221. . Saw seedlings in April of 2021. I left them in the container ,forgot about them and the area has gotten a lot of sun. I opened the container to find that the green seedlings now have red edges. Have they been scotched by the sun? are they viable to trans plant still really small. Please any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated
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Richo Cech –
hello there, red edges to hypericum seedlings are normal–it is the hypericin (active constituent) showing through–you are on track, plant and keep going–plant has 2 phases, repining and upright. r
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Question
Natalie Duran –
I have had SJW growing for about 3 years and it still hasn’t flowered. Any idea what it needs to promote flowering? I appreciate any tips.
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Richo Cech –
Hi Natalie,
Its an herb of the sun and must grow in the sun. Saint Johns day does not arrive until June 24th so it is very likely your plants will flower for that auspicious day.
Richo
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Question
Fabiola –
Have you heard of anyone being successful at growing St Johns Wort in central Florida (zone 9a)?
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Richo Cech –
Hello Fabiola, Yes, and thanks for reminding me about this, I’ve been thinking of upping the zone designation on our website for some time. Reason being, we grow great Saint John’s Wort here in Southern Oregon, its disallowed from California because it grows there, and even as global warming takes effect, the plant appears to remain to be happy for us. You should be able to grow it. Richo
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Question
Wanda Nowottnick –
Can these be started in the winter months in starter pots or should start in bigger pots. I’m in northeast .spring here is late April/May. When would be a good time to start them ?
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Richo Cech –
Hello Wanda,
Thanks for staying in touch. There isn’t enough sun in the winter to effectively start Saint Johns Wort. It doesn’t flower until the second year, anyway, so it is best to start in the spring.
Richo
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jasperdshide (verified owner) –
I suppose I’m a bit of a pessimist (maybe this herb could help?) so I planted a few hundred of these little seeds in the hopes that I might get some plants. A few hundred seedlings later I’m starting to think I needn’t be so concerned!
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Question
Sue –
My seedlings are just getting going (late August). Are they too young to come back next year? Should I bring in for the winter? It is the third time that I tried to get them going.
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Richo Cech –
Hi Sue, Saint John’s Wort is a wild plant that does not like to go inside for the winter. I would plant them, mulch all around with sand and stake it so you can find it next year. Richo
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Question
Scarlett (verified owner) –
Hello- Could these be planted in a large pot?
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Richo Cech –
Yes, for years we had a snapshot on the wall someone sent–SJW growing in pots on a fire escape in chicago. r
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Jo (verified owner) –
I’ve had no luck with my outside planting of St. John Wort so I started a seed tray under grow lights yesterday I live in Zone 7A. Am I too late to grow and plant outside this year? We had maybe 3 weeks of Spring and now we are in 90+ weather now.
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Richo Cech –
Hi Jo, When it comes to planting perennials from seed, there is no too late. This is the herb of the sun–make sure the seeds are not covered, but rather pressed into surface, and a sandy mix is beneficial. Keep trying! richo
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Question
Shahiidah (verified owner) –
I see in the picture of St. John’s Wort, rows of the plant. How do you cultivate it in rows like that? Any special ground coverage to prepare the soil? Thank you.
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Admin Richo Cech –
Hello Shahidah, Thanks for getting in touch. Nothing special, really, except that the plant itself is very special. Standard agricultural technique–start the plants in greenhouse, transplant to field in rows, cultivate between the rows. I think you would benefit from reading my book “The Medicinal Herb Grower.” Richo
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Question
Barbara –
I’m concerned about the seeds freezing should they deliver when I’m working. Packages sit on my porch all day until I get home. Should I wait until Feb or March to order. I live in NH
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Admin Richo Cech –
Hi Barbara,
I’m not concerned about dry seeds encountering freezing temperatures during delivery, this has never caused a problem for us.
Richo
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Donna Hummel –
My St Johns Wort will be in it’s third year in my garden. It is thriving with little to no special attention. I have found that I need a lot more flowers for my oil. I can’t keep it in stock! I love finding my seeds and plants from Strictly Medicinal. I know I can count on high quality. Thank you!
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Question
Sylvia Young –
Why is this “noxious” in those states? I love this plant, easy to control and so very useful!.
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Admin Richo Cech –
That is not for me, a plant advocate, to explain, but it is nice to live in Oregon, the one Western state where the plant is allowed in trade. A sign of dire deterioration of societal values when the plant of light is relegated to a noxious weed. richo
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Susan Dabney –
Has anybody tried to grow Hypericum in a short day area? Like Ecuador….\
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Admin Richo Cech –
Hi there, the plant is native to Ecuador and a number of other South American countries on the Pacific side. Richo
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Alyssa –
Hi Richo, would you be able to ship the seeds to Canada?
Thanks,
Alyssa
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Richo Cech –
Yes, Canada is not on the prohibited list for Hypericum perforatum. r
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javicmor (verified owner) –
Planted 12/10/2017 picture taken 3/06/2018. Looking forward to St J. yellow flowers!
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Admin Richo Cech –
Yup, and you’re well beyond the germination phase. Plants will sprawl like that and then go up to flower around June 24th. Richo
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Sandy Rowley –
Love St. Joans Wort! I use it for sunscreen and sore muscles too.
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Rick, northern Michigan –
Is there an effective biological control for the Klamath beetle? This is the first year I’ve seen them here in northern Michigan.
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Diana –
Hi Rick,
The paradox is that the klamath beetle IS a biological control. A biological control gone feral, that is. I try not to think about this too much–it tends to turn my mind in negative directions. Anyway, I see the beetle everywhere I see saint johns wort, and the larvae do kill off large populations of the plant. I don’t know of any animal that likes to eat the beetles. And, just in case you’re wondering about tincturing the beetles, my lab partner once tried this and the tincture was not red.
Richo
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Lily –
Hello
I have had a few hypericum perforatum plants in my garden for a couple of years. they have been growing beautifully and I have been harvesting the blossoms for tincture and oil. This spring however, I cannot see any sign of the plants. It is now the end of may in Michigan and I am sad to not see them return. Wondering if they could have died during our cold winter or if they are sometimes biannual?
Thank you for any insight you might have
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Richo Cech –
hi lily, “the case of the missing saint john’s wort plant” is indeed a phenomena shared by all of us. They do tend to peak in productivity in year 2 and may wane away after that, especially if the beetles get ahold of them, which does happen. suggest planting again in a different place. r
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