Bedstraw St. John's Wort Hypericum galioides
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Hypericum ambiguum
- Phonetic Spelling
- hy-PER-ih-kum gal-ee-OY-deez
- Description
-
Bedstraw St. John's Wort is a perennial, flowering shrub, slender and branching, found in wet to moist habitats in the coastal plain of the southeastern United States from North Carolina south to Florida and west to Texas. In nature, it can often be seen in stream banks, swamps, river bottoms, floodplains, lake edges, wet pine forests, and ditches. It can reach 6 feet tall at maturity with a spreading habit and blooms in summer with yellow flowers.
It requires a moist well-drained site in sun to partial shade although it tolerates dry soil. It can be used as a ground cover or in groupings near water features.
Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:
No known diseases or insect pests.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Brodie
- Brodie
- Brodie
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Brodie
- Brodie
- Brodie
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Hypericum
- Species:
- galioides
- Family:
- Hypericaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Root Cutting
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- North Carolina south to Florica and west to Texas
- Distribution:
- coastal plains
- Wildlife Value:
- Important food source for wildlife.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
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-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Coarse
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-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Three to five celled capsule, sometimes fleshy. The fruits are 1/4 inch long and ovoid.
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-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Bright yellow flowers summer into early fall. The flowers are small, in terminal and axillary cymes, with very narrow sepals. Each flower is 1/2 inch in diameter. It flowers in the summer, between June and August. Solitary or cymose, terminal or axillary. Yellow (usually) 5-petaled (rarely 4), 5 sepals (rarely 4); stamens numerous, in bundles or in showy boss.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Rough
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Whorled
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Simple very narrow leaves; 2-edged stem. The leaves are 5 to 14 inches long and 1/4 inch across with mostly acute tips. Opposite or whorled, decussate, entire; sessile or petiole short.
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-
Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Description:
- Contain 2 to 4 (up to 6) ridges on newer growth, smooth and rounded on older growth.
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-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Pond
- Riparian
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Water Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
