Great St. John’s Wort Care and Uses

St. John’s Wort is a magnificent, vivacious plant with flowers that can be up to 5 cm wide. It is easy to cultivate and prefers damp soil and full sun. It can grow very tall with the rich soil conditions.

In particular, from early summer through fall, when its bright yellow blossoms cheer up a shady area, the St. John’s wort is a helpful garden shrub giving year-round visual interest in garden design. One of the most adaptable plants in horticulture, it thrives in most types of soil and exposure settings and can even withstand drought. Don’t be deceived by this attractive plant’s modest appearance; it will take care of itself once planted! If not controlled, St. John’s wort can take on a thug-like appearance in the garden.

Quick Growing Guide

Botanical Name: Hypericum pyramidatum

En français: Millepertuis

Colour:

• Yellow

Blooms:

• Summer

Sun / Shade:

• Full Sun

Water: Medium water required

Soil:

• Adaptable

Height:

• Up to 5 feet (160 cms)

Pollinators:

• Bumble bees
• Butterflies

Care:

• Easy to Care and Grow

About the Plant

In addition to enhancing entry gardens, foundation plantings, perennial beds, and mixed shrub borders with blooms, colorful foliage, and wonderful texture, St. John’s Wort excel at giving food and shelter to wildlife, especially pollinators. This natural superstar shrub from North America is simple to cultivate and a breeze to work into practically any landscape. Its bright yellow summer flowers and low-maintenance behavior all year round are guaranteed to please you. It is a fantastic plant for areas where deer and rabbits are a problem because they hardly ever browse it.

Growing and Planting St. Johns Wort

It is a simple plant to grow and is resilient to many difficult circumstances. Due to this, many gardeners consider it to be a weed. Overly damp soil is its one weakness if it has one at all. St. John’s wort needs to be nurtured for a while when they are young, but once they are established, they can survive on their own. In actuality, controlling established plants will be your primary maintenance task.

It is easily grown in moist, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. The top of the upper stems will terminate or branch into 1–5 short stems, each with a single flower. Cut off seed heads to prevent the spread. Pull up unwanted volunteers in spring.

Light

St. John’s wort likes plenty of sunlight. However, grow it away from harsh, direct light on a balcony or in the shade provided by other plants. In order to aid in its growth, give it more sunlight in the spring and fall. In the summer, however, place the potted plants in somewhat shaded areas and spritz them with water to lower the temperature and boost humidity. If not, signs like dried leaf tips could manifest.

Soil Requirements

Common St. John’s wort can thrive in a variety of soil conditions. With the exception of hard clay, it thrives in most common soil types but prefers sandy loam that has adequate drainage. The optimum loam has a pH range of 5.5–7.0 and is somewhat acidic. While dry soil and dryness are conditions that common St. John’s wort can tolerate, waterlogging due to poor drainage can cause the roots to rot.

Watering St. Johns Wort

When you are first trying to establish this perennial, keep it well-irrigated. Common St. John’s wort can handle dry conditions but cannot tolerate soggy ground. After planting, the first year will only require about 2.5 cm of water per week. There is no need to water plants further in locations with abundant rainfall. Common St. John’s wort doesn’t require additional watering after the second year because typical precipitation will cover its water requirements. If a plant is overwatered, its leaves will wither and dry up, and its roots may rot from waterlogging.

Fertilizer

Hypericum pyramidatum doesn’t need a lot of fertilization. After the initial planting, extra fertilizing is typically not required until clear signs of poor growth develop. Apply some low-concentration balanced compound fertilizer if it occurs (10-10-10 NPK ratio).

Pruning

Hypericum pyramidatum needs pruning every year to keep it looking nice and full of blooms. In early spring, prune your plants to keep them healthy and strong, and they’ll produce a bumper crop of flowers in the summer.

Uses for St. Johns Wort

St. John’s wort has some lovely ornamental characteristics. In addition to being a bright yellow color, its blossoms also feature stunning stamens (the long, slender flower parts that carry pollen). Hypericum perforatum is not the most ornamental member of its genus to be used in the landscape.

St. John’s wort works well as a soil stabilizer and beautiful ground cover. The plants require little maintenance once established, making them perfect for remote settings. If you don’t want to hinder the view, you may use it as an edging or designate borders and routes. Containers, rock gardens, and foundation plantings are a few additional uses. Use it in borders, woodland margins or slopes.

Medicinal Uses

St. John’s wort is most commonly used for depression and symptoms such as anxiety, tiredness, loss of appetite, and trouble sleeping. There is strong evidence that it is effective for mild to moderate depression. It has been known to help with inflammation due to pro-inflammatory genes. Medical News Today provides more detail.

Pollinators

Bumblebees are a primary pollinator of this plant. Some moths and butterflies frequent the plant. You should not have any trouble growing this flower if you plant it in recommended conditions. Its natural habitat: St. John’s Wort can be found in forests, meadows, banks of rivers and streams, and moist thickets.

Great St. John’s Wort has a beautiful yellow flower that blooms for about 3 weeks in June, July, and August.

Propagating Hypericum pyramidatum

St. John’s Wort prefers well-drained soils in full or partial sun. You may have some unwanted seedlings sprout up from seeds or roots. Those can be pulled or the roots cut if needed. It isn’t aggressive if other competition is present. Due to its height, it is best planted at the back of gardens to avoid crowding and shading.

Companion Plants for Great St. John’s Wort

Consider pairing Hypericum prolificum with Aster oblongifolius, Hibiscus moscheutos, and Monarda fistulosa as companion plants.

Other

Relatively disease-free. Powdery mildew may show on petals and leaves if planted in super moist soils with low air flow.

St. John’s Wort gets its name from the fact that it flowers on or around St. John’s day on 24 June. It was mainly used in the middle ages as magic potions.