Elizabeth is a Permaculture Garden Designer, Sustainability Consultant and Professional Writer, working as an advocate for positive change. She graduated from the University of St. Andrews with an MA in English and Philosophy and obtained a Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design from the Permaculture Association.
Reviewed By PETER LICKORISH
Peter is a Horticulture Lecturer and self-employed Horticulturist, with a passion for diverse areas of the industry - from garden design to the science behind plant growth and propagation. He has completed the Royal Horticultural Society’s Master of Horticulture (MHort) Award and lectures on RHS courses at Bedford College.
IN THIS GUIDE
Hypericum is a genus of over 400 plants, several of which are native to the UK, but many more of which can work well and thrive in UK gardens.1The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (1999, May 4). Saint-John’s-wort | Description, Species, & Uses. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://www.britannica.com/plant/Hypericum
A couple of the best native options are listed below, and we’ll also explore a range of non-native options considered to be good choices for UK gardens.
Keep in mind that all of these varieties produce yellow flowers.
1) H. perforatum
- COMMON NAME(S): perforate St John’s wort
- HARDINESS RATING: H6
- FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer
- SUNLIGHT: Full sun / Part shade
- SOIL PREFERENCE: All soil types; any pH
Perhaps the best-known hypericum to UK gardeners is common St John’s wort, H. perforatum – a well-known herb.
This upright perennial bears clusters of star-shaped yellow flowers 1.5cm, and larger, across.
This UK native is H6 hardy and requires little care and is a great choice for wildlife-friendly gardens, wildflower meadows, and other low-maintenance schemes and, as a wildlife-friendly native plant, it is certainly my number one pick.
2) H. elodes
- COMMON NAME(S): bog hypericum / marsh St John’s wort
- HARDINESS RATING: H5
- FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer
- SUNLIGHT: Part shade
- SOIL PREFERENCE: Loam; any pH
Another UK native plant, marsh St John’s wort is another member of this varied genus to consider in a wildlife-friendly native plant garden.
Perfect for ponds, bog gardens and stream or pond margins, it will help you create a wildlife pond in your garden.
It is evergreen and has delicate yellow flowers.
It is always a good idea to choose native aquatic and marginal species, and this is one of a number of good options to consider.
3) H. bellum
- COMMON NAME(S): Hypericum bellum
- HARDINESS RATING: H5
- FOLIAGE TYPE: Semi-evergreen
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer / Autumn
- SUNLIGHT: Full sun / Part shade
- SOIL PREFERENCE: All soil types; any pH
With golden yellow flowers around 3.5cm across, this semi-evergreen densely-branched shrub grows to around 1m in height.
The flowers bloom from early summer and into autumn.
Grow in full sun or partial shade in moist but well-drained soil.
4) H. calycinum
- COMMON NAME(S): rose of Sharon
- HARDINESS RATING: H5
- FOLIAGE TYPE: Evergreen / Semi-evergreen
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer / Winter
- FRUIT SEASON(S): Autumn
- SUNLIGHT: Full sun / Part shade / Full shade
- SOIL PREFERENCE: All soil types; any pH
Also known as the rose of Sharon, this variety is a fast-growing and vigorous ground-cover shrub.
It can be evergreen or semi-evergreen, and may or may not keep its dark green leaves throughout the whole of the winter months.
It grows to around 60cm tall, and yet can spread to 1.2m or more.
It has bright yellow blooms throughout summer and into autumn, and red berries which turn black in autumn.
It can grow in a wide range of conditions, including full sun, partial shade, or even deep shade, and is H5 hardy.
5) H. forrestii
- COMMON NAME(S): forrest St John’s wort
- HARDINESS RATING: H5
- FOLIAGE TYPE: Semi-evergreen
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer / Autumn
- SUNLIGHT: Full sun / Part shade
- SOIL PREFERENCE: All soil types; any pH
Another small, semi-evergreen shrub, this option is notable not only for its saucer-shaped yellow flowers that span 5cm across but also for its foliage which partly turns red and orange in autumn.
Grow in full sun or partial shade in reasonably free-draining soil.
6) Hypericum ‘Hidcote’
- COMMON NAME(S): St John’s wort ‘Hidcote’
- HARDINESS RATING: H5
- FOLIAGE TYPE: Semi-evergreen
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer / Autumn
- SUNLIGHT: Full sun / Part shade
- SOIL PREFERENCE: All soil types; any pH
This is an evergreen or semi-evergreen shrub which grows to around 1.2m tall.
It has large, cup-shaped yellow blooms around 4-5cm across, which are borne from the middle of summer until the early autumn.
Place in full sun or partial shade, in moist but well-drained soil.
7) H. hircinum subsp. albimontanum
- HARDINESS RATING: H5
- FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer
- SUNLIGHT: Full sun / Part shade
- SOIL PREFERENCE: All soil types; any pH
Growing around 1m tall, this compact semi-evergreen shrub has leaves which emit a strong odour when crushed.
The shrub produces yellow flowers 3cm across, with long, prominent stamens, over the summer months.
The leaves are slightly more slender than other species.
It likes the same conditions as the other options above and is also H5 hardy.
8) H. kouytchense
- COMMON NAME(S): large-flowered St John’s wort
- HARDINESS RATING: H5
- FOLIAGE TYPE: Semi-evergreen
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer / Autumn
- SUNLIGHT: Full sun / Part shade
- SOIL PREFERENCE: All soil types; any pH
Also known as large-flowered hypericum or large-flowered St John’s Wort, this small semi-evergreen shrub is distinguished by its large golden-yellow flowers.
These grow larger than those of other members of the genus – to around 6cm across.
Each flower has long stamens and is followed by attractive red seed capsules in autumn.
9) H. lancasteri
- COMMON NAME(S): Lancastrian St John’s wort
- HARDINESS RATING: H5
- FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer
- SUNLIGHT: Full sun / Part shade
- SOIL PREFERENCE: All soil types; any pH
This is a spreading, deciduous shrub which has bronze young leaves that turn green as they mature.
The summer flowers are borne on sprays.
Flowers form from conspicuous red-edged calyces opening in a star shape and they are golden yellow and around 6cm across.
10) H. × moserianum
- COMMON NAME(S): gold flower
- HARDINESS RATING: H5
- FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer / Autumn
- SUNLIGHT: Full sun / Part shade
- SOIL PREFERENCE: All soil types; any pH
This is a spreading, dwarf, deciduous shrub which grows less than 50cm high but with double the spread, creating a good ground cover.
The plant has arching red stems and golden flowers with red anthers 5cm across.
11) H. olympicum
- COMMON NAME(S): Mount Olympus St John’s wort
- HARDINESS RATING: H4
- FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer
- SUNLIGHT: Full sun / Part shade
- SOIL PREFERENCE: All soil types; any pH
Mount Olympus St John’s Wort is a dwarf, deciduous sub-shrub which grows to around 25cm in height and spreads to around 50cm.
It has erect stems, grey-green leaves, and bright yellow flowers around 5cm across borne in small clusters.
This variety is H4 hardy and may be a good choice for a rockery.
12) H. olympicum f. uniflorum ‘Citrinum’
- COMMON NAME(S): St John’s wort ‘Citrinum’
- HARDINESS RATING: H4
- FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer
- SUNLIGHT: Full sun / Part shade
- SOIL PREFERENCE: All soil types; any pH
This is another low-growing dwarf option.
It is also a deciduous dwarf shrub, with upright stems and its flowers, which are a pale lemon yellow colour, are borne in summer and are around 3.5cm across.
This option is also H4 hardy.
13) H. ‘Rowallane’
- COMMON NAME(S): St John’s wort ‘Rowallane’
- HARDINESS RATING: H4
- FOLIAGE TYPE: Semi-evergreen
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer / Autumn
- SUNLIGHT: Full sun / Part shade
- SOIL PREFERENCE: All soil types; any pH
This hybrid is an upright, medium-sized shrub with arching branches.
It is semi-evergreen and produces large flowers that are around 7cm across and are bowl-shaped, with an attractive darker golden hue.
Of course, these options are just some of the many hypericums that you could consider growing in your garden.
“This guide largely sets out species of Hypericum, but within these species are some fascinating cultivars,” shares Master Horticulturist Peter Lickorish.
“H. x moserianum, for example, has a wonderful cultivar ‘Tricolor’. Its leaves are edged in cream and new foliage is flushed pink.
“H. calycinum ‘Golden Rule’ has zingy orange-coloured new leaves, which turn golden in spring. Perhaps its name is a reminder of the golden rule for Hypericum: they’ll only give you yellow flowers.
“For other colours, look beyond the flowers. H. x inodorum ‘Magical White’ has striking white berries long into the winter months, whilst different species and cultivars will produce inedible berries in pinks, reds or black.”
