Plant Of The Month

Hypericum St. John's Worts

This summer I was intrigued to learn about (and acquire!) a 2008 plant introduction from Novalis® Plants That Work®. The first thing that caught my eye on these diminutive shrubs was the cheery red rose-hip-like fruits on one plant and the orange ones on another. These were punctuated with golden yellow flowers about a half-inch across with lots of stamens.

The tags read "Hypericum Mystical" Red Star" and "Hypericum Mystical" Orange." respectively. Now there was an eye-opener. I was later to learn that these cultivars were originally developed as a hybrid between H. androsaemum and H. hircinum for use in the floral trade. There are also black-fruited, a white-fruited, and a salmon-fruited cultivars as well.

Now if you are already familiar with Hypericum 'Hidcote' and H. calycinum, both of which grow well in our area, then you already know what tough customers the St. John's Worts are! They are not only drought resistant once established, but they can be cut back hard and will rejuvenate quickly. One serious drawback to the St. John's Worts has been their susceptibility to a rust fungus, which sometimes requires that they be cut back as I just mentioned. However, this H. androsaemum x H. hircinum hybrid (alternatively listed as H. x inodorata and H. x inodorum) has proven to be quite resistant to rust infection.

I mentioned earlier the smallish golden-yellow flowers. They aren't quite as showy as those on Hypericum 'Hidcote' or H. calycinum, but I daresay they can hold their own, and the plant then continues to bloom after it begins setting fruit. In some of the literature the fruits are referred to as "hips." As much as they do resemble rose hips, that isn't exactly accurate. As the fruits on my Mystical Orange have matured they have turned black and started to dry out. Closer inspection revealed that they split apart into separate sections; one of the characteristics of the fruit known as a capsule. And wow, are the seeds ever tiny and numerous!

Full sun and a well-drained, moist soil are listed as best for these little shrubs, which are advertised as having a mature height of about 36 inches. If they behave anything like some of their cousins I suspect that the spread will be somewhat greater than the height.

So, drought tolerant, rust resistant, continuous summer bloom, and colorful fruits...what's not to like?

Article and photo by David Emmitt, Program Manager-Plant Science and Landscape Technology, Cuyahoga Community College, Eastern Campus. The program's curriculum is accredited by the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET) and courses taught include botany, woody and herbaceous landscape plant materials and entomology. He received both his Bachelors and Masters degree from Kent State University.