St. John’s Wort: A Versatile Shrub for Your Garden
Introduction
St. John’s wort is a beautiful and easy-to-grow shrub that adds a splash of color to your garden from midsummer until fall. Its cheerful yellow flowers, long showy stamens, and colorful berries make it a favorite of gardeners and pollinators alike.
Growing Conditions
St. John’s wort is a hardy plant that can thrive in a variety of conditions. It prefers partially shaded sites with well-drained soil, but it can also tolerate full sun and a wide range of soil types, including sandy, clay, rocky, and loamy soils. It adapts well to both moist and dry conditions, and even tolerates occasional flooding and drought.
Planting and Care
To plant St. John’s wort, choose a location that receives bright morning sunlight and some shade in the hottest part of the afternoon. If your soil is not particularly fertile, amend it with compost or rotted manure before planting. Dig a hole twice the width of the root ball and just as deep. Place the shrub in the hole and backfill with soil, tamping down gently to remove any air pockets. Water deeply after planting and keep the soil moist until the plant is well-established.
Uses in the Garden
St. John’s wort is a versatile plant that can be used in a variety of ways in the garden. It makes an attractive ground cover and soil stabilizer, and it can also be used as an edging or to mark boundaries and pathways. Its compact size and showy flowers make it a good choice for containers, rock gardens, and foundation plantings.
Cultivars
There are many different cultivars of St. John’s wort available, each with its own unique characteristics. Some popular cultivars include:
- H. x moserianum ‘Tricolor’: This cultivar is noted for its variegated foliage with a rainbow of colors, including red, pink, cream, and green.
- H. frondosum ‘Sunburst’: This cultivar can tolerate winter temperatures down to zone 5 and forms a bushy mound up to 2 feet in diameter.
- The Hypearls series: This series includes the cultivars ‘Olivia’, ‘Renu’, ‘Jacqueline’, and ‘Jessica’. These cultivars are well-suited to hot climates.
- H. calycinum ‘Brigadoon’: The flowers on this cultivar are not as conspicuous as some of the others, but it has chartreuse foliage that turns golden orange in bright sun.
Medicinal Uses
St. John’s wort has a long history of medicinal use. It has been traditionally used to treat a variety of conditions, including depression, anxiety, and insomnia. However, it is important to note that St. John’s wort can interact with certain medications, so it is important to talk to your doctor before using it.
Conclusion
St. John’s wort is a beautiful and versatile shrub that is easy to grow and care for. It is a great choice for gardeners of all levels of experience and can be used in a variety of ways in the garden.
