Aaron's Beard St. Johnswort

Hypericum calycinum

Hypericaceae or Clusiaceae (St. Johnswort Family)

éê plants in groundcover bed

▲▼ leaves

Hypericum calycinum: Aaronsbead St. Johnswort

Location on or near campus:  In Xeriscape Garden at corner of National and Linwood, about 1 mile south of campus

·         leaves deciduous to semi-evergreen, opposite, simple, ovate with entire margins; leaves dark blue-green above and glaucous below; 2-4 inches long and 1/3 to ½  as wide, sometimes with odor

·         stems brown to reddish brown, somewhat 4-angled, usually spreading or ascending, not stiffly upright; stems often die back in winter

·         flowers bright yellow with many petals and stamens, up to 3 inches wide, often solitary (sometimes in small cluster) at tips of stems in summer through fall

·         low mounded growth habit, about 1-2 feet tall and equally wide or wider

·         likes full sun to part shade and dry, rocky soils; does better in cooler climates than southwest Missouri

·         produces stolons to allow it to spread

·         fast growth rate, but often need to prune back to ground each spring to keep it fresh looking