Summer Solstice signals that St. John's Wort blossoms are ready, or nearly ready to pick! The little yellow flowers are sweetly fragranced. When rubbed between the fingers they leave a noticeable red stain. This is the hypericin, the active ingredient, that produces the rich ruby-red colour in the oil. St. John's Wort is prolific along the road sides and throughout the meadows in the North Okanagan/Shuswap region. The blossoms are picked, sun-infused in sunflower oil for a month, then strained. The resulting oil is called St. John's Wort, or Hypericum Oil. It is a highly regarded carrier oil with anti-inflammatory properties, useful for bruises, shingles, sprains, sciatica and neuralgia. It is soothing especially to nerve-related skin conditions. As this is a fresh flower infusion, this is a once-a-year, much anticipated and fun event!
