A shrub that has yellow star-shaped flowers with long, showy stamens in the center, St. John’s Wort (Hypericum empetrifolium) blooms in the early summer on Crete. Its flowers are made into an herbal oil but putting them in a jar, covering them with olive oil, and leaving them in direct sunlight for a month or so. The oil will then have turned a ruby red, and after straining, it is stored in a dark cupboard. It is used both to treat burns, sores, and muscle aches (the Spartans were known for using this oil to care for wounds after battle) as well as to treat, anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders. It is probably called St. John’s Wort because it blooms around the time of the celebration of the birth of Saint John on June 24.
Cookie name | Active |
---|