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AR Gardener Magazine Articles
St. John’s Wort
Plants that can stand up to abuse, take the heat of our summers,
and bounce back with bright yellow flowers in mid to late summer, should make
for popular plants around here. Yet few gardeners plant, much less know, this
interesting groundcover. St. John’s Wort, Aaron’s Beard, or Hypericum calycinum
is a plant worth trying.
If you said the name St. John’s wort today, most people would
probably know it as a natural herbal supplement which is supposed to treat
depression. Hypericum perforatum is one of the most widely known herbal products
on the market today. But herb treatments aside, the family of Hypericum includes
a wide range of plants, from relatively large shrubs, to woody sub-shrubs to
herbaceous perennials. The one thing they all have in common is bright yellow
summertime flowers.
The entire plant family is steeped in legend. The common name
St. John’s Wort is often given to many members of the family, and is linked with
St. John the Baptist. Legend has it, that this plant first bloomed on his
birthday, June 24, and that it bleeds red oil from its leaf gland on the day in
August that he was beheaded. Burning the foliage of St. John’s Wort is supposed
to get rid of demons or evil spirits. Although the plants have been grown for
centuries, it is not a common plant in our gardens.
Hypericum perforatum–the herbal product, can be grown in the
garden, and does spread quite rapidly. However, the ground cover of the family
is Hypericum calycinum. This semi-evergreen groundcover spreads rapidly in sun
to partial shade. It spreads quickly by undergrown rhizomes, and is a good
choice to plant to hold the soil in place on steep slopes. The flowers are quite
large considering the small size of the plant, and it can bloom over a
relatively long period of time in the summer. While it does bloom in Arkansas, I
have never seen it as showy as we found it blooming on the hillside of Butchard
Gardens in Canada. Regardless of its flowering ability, it does hold the soil
well, and makes for a nice ground cover.
The leaves are oval and borne opposite each other along the
stem. The foliage comes out a bit bronze in color, turning to a bright green,
and ending in the fall with an almost bluish green color. While it can grow up
to eighteen inches high, it tends to have a more arching growth habit, and will
spread two feet or more in width. While it is considered an evergreen plant in
the south, cold winters can cause some dieback, or leaf damage. If it looks a
bit tattered after a winter, give it a good haircut as new growth begins. Since
it blooms on the current season growth, shearing it will help it to thicken up,
and won’t interfere with flowering. If you don’t prune it annually, plan on a
good shearing at least every three years to rejuvenate it.
As with any ground cover, plant it in a relatively weed free
environment. Mulch and water through establishment. Once it has rooted, it is a
drought tolerant plant. Watering during dry periods may aid in extra flowers.
Other than some early spring shearing, the plant is fairly maintenance free,
with no major pest problems.
While the plant may never be a staple in our landscapes, it is
relatively easy to grow, holds the soil well, and has an attractive foliage
display. While it may not be the showiest flowering plant for us in the south,
it will produce some blooms, and it is tolerant of abuse. If you need a ground
cover for full sun to partial shade, have a problem with erosion on a steep
slope, or have a sandy poor soil, and you need a ground cover, consider
Hypericum calycinum.
This story first appeared in the
AR
Gardener Magazine.
By: Janet Carson
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