Creeping St John’s Wort

Hypericum calycinum

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 5a-8b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Groundcover

Height or Length at Maturity: 12″

Width at Maturity: 24″ +
Spacing: 18-24″ apart for mass plantings

Growth Habit / Form: Spreading/Trailing

Growth Rate: Moderate to Fast

Flower Color: BRIGHT Yellow
Flower Type: Single

Flower Size: 2-3″ diameter
Flowering Period: Summer

Fragrant Flowers: NA

Foliage Color: Rich Green in sun, Light Green in shade

Fragrant Foliage: No

Berries: No

Sun Needs: Full Sun to Part Shade

Water Needs: Average, very low when established

Soil Type: Clay, Loam, Sand, Silt

Soil Drainage: Well Drained

Soil pH: 6 – 7.5

Maintenance / Care: Low, mow after winter if necessary to tidy plants

Attracts: Visual attention in flower!

Resistances: Deer, Disease, Drought, Dry Soil, Heat, Humidity, Insect

Description

St John’s Wort, Hypericum calycinum, sometimes called Aaron’s Beard, is a spreading perennial groundcover plant that produces very unique and beautiful saucer-shape yellow flowers with bushy center stamens with reddish anthers. The flowers appear singly or in groups of 2 or 3 and cover the lush plant in summer. Oval to oblong leaves (to 4″ long) are rich green in sun but are a lighter, yellowish green in shade. This species has been used since ancient times in the treatment of wounds and was apparently gathered and burned to ward off evil spirits on the eve of St. John’s Day, thus giving rise to the genus common name of St. John’s Wort.

Allan Armitage calls this “one of the finest groundcover plants available!”

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing 8 to 12 inches tall and spreading to 24 inches or more, Creeping St John’s Wort is ideal for use as an attractive small or large space groundcover. Since plants spread from underground stolons it’s a good idea to use a root barrier/edging material to contain the plant in smaller spaces. Excellent for use as a border along paths and walkways, as an underplanting for small trees, in naturalized plantings, and in mixed container gardens. It is also good for stabilizing and controlling erosion on embankments or hillsides. A fine addition to Xeriscape gardens (low water needs).

Suggested Spacing: 18 to 24 inches apart for mass plantings

Growing Preferences

St John’s Wort is easy to grow and maintain in a wide range of conditions. It flourishes in most any average, moist to dry well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. It really thrives on sandy soils in full sun. The plant is less floriferous in part shade. In warm winter climates the plant will be evergreen. It usually dies to the ground or suffers some tip dieback in cold winter climates, but blooms on new growth and comes back nicely each spring. In areas where it does not die in winter, shear or mow plants in late winter or early spring every 2-3 years to renew and induce new growth.

NOTE: Find helpful advice under the Planting & Care tab above on desktops and below on mobile phones.

Plant Long & Prosper!

Meet The Wilson Brothers & Staff >

Questions? Contact Us!

Arrived very well packed, as usual. They are all alive at this point. I hope they make it thru the winter.————————————————–Thanks for the wonderful review! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG