St John's wort

Why we love this botanical

S t. John's wort has a recognizable, warm-herbal scent with light resin and hay tones and a subtle floral accent. The fine, yellow-flowering plant gives infusions a soft, straw-like basis with a mild, dry mouthfeel. In blends, the herb feels like a sunny but quiet undercurrent that mainly adds atmosphere and depth.

During steeping, a bright, gold-to-copper colored infusion arises with a dry, herbal taste. The impression is light, warm, and field-like, with a long but not heavy aftertaste. St. John's wort gives floral and citrus-rich blends an earthy basis and can, in small amounts, soften the transition between sweet and bitter components. The herb requires careful dosing and conscious context.

Habitat & Origin

St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) grows in sunny verges, slopes, and open forest edges in Europe and West Asia. Around midsummer, the flower-bearing tops are harvested, when leaf and flower are richest in aromatic pigments. After airy drying, the parts retain their straw-herbal scent and warm tint. Maison Tisane selects finely cut aerial parts of St. John's wort — flowers, leaf, and soft stem — for a balanced, warm infusion.

Active compounds

St. John's wort contains hypericin, hyperforin, and straw-floral flavonoids that together form the warm, straw-herbal aroma. Tannins and light aromatic oils provide a dry, clear structure. In infusions, St. John's wort works as a soft, sun-warm underlayer that gives blends a quiet, field-like depth.

The Hypericum perforatum, pure and in full growth

Ayurvedic approach

St. John's wort has a warm, dry-aromatic energetics that mainly soothes Pitta and gives Kapha light movement, while Vata is treated with attention due to the dryness. In European solstice traditions, it was considered a 'light herb': picked around midsummer as a symbol of transition and protection. That seasonal symbolism resonates in the cup. Energetically, St. John's wort feels like late sun on high hills — warm, straw-like, and slightly inward-turning.

Thermal energy (Virya) light heating

Pitta

Balancing

Increasing Balancing

Effect: light balancing

Vata

Increasing

Increasing Balancing

Effect: light increasing

Kapha

Balancing

Increasing Balancing

Effect: light balancing

Flavour profile & Blending

Intensity

Strong

Accessibility

Accessible

Character

vegetal, bitter

Role in the blend

Strong herb (2.5–5%): contributes noticeably to the flavour profile and should be dosed with care.

The indicated percentage refers to the approximate weight proportion of this herb within the total blend, but it can of course be adjusted to give the herb a more dominant or more subtle role.

St. John's wort supports blends with a warm, straw-herbal calm that stabilizes floral and citrus-rich botanicals. It makes linden blossom and chamomile deeper and drier in structure, and organizes the acids of hibiscus or rose hip. In combination with birch leaf or ginkgo, a clear, almost meditative leaf basis is created. With cinnamon or rooibos, St. John's wort gains a warm evening profile. It acts as an atmosphere builder and makes blends more subdued, mature, and unified.

St. John's wort goes well with honey-rich desserts, soft cakes, spicy bread pudding, citrus-honey yogurt, and mild fruit compotes. The warm, dry herbal quality balances sweetness and gives creamy structures a quieter profile. Also in savory preparations like light broths, soft vegetables, or wheat dishes, it brings a quiet, warm depth.

More flavour details

Selection guide (aroma directions)

Intensity

Freshness

Citrus

Fruity

Floral

Spicy / Herbal

Earthy / Woody

Food pairing (structure)

Sweetness

Sourness

Bitterness

Astringency

Body

Aftertaste length

Sharpness / Pungency

Blending notes: vegetal (5/10)

Precautions

Sunshine in your cup, but speeds up breakdown of contraceptives and antidepressants. Always consult if on medication.

Experience St John's wort

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Why we love this botanical