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St. John's Wort Hypericum lloydii

Previously known as:

  • Hypericum galioides var. lloydii
Phonetic Spelling
hy-PEER-ih-kum loy-DEE-eye
Description

Sandhills St. John's Wort is a perennial, deciduous subshrub that grows to about 8 inches tall with showy yellow flowers. It is one of more that 400 species of Hypericum, which include herbs, shrubs and trees, with different bloom times and cultural requirements. This plant is found naturally in dry woodlands, sand hills, road banks, and on the edge of flat rocks. It is not commonly found in the lower Piedmont and is generally rare to very uncommon in the Coastal Plain, including the Sandhills. It can occasionally be seen in large numbers in a few favored sites. This plant has a spreading habit. Sandhills St. John's Wort is stoloniferous and has fragrant awl or needle-like leaves.

The bright yellow, 5-petaled flowers usually grow in small clusters at the ends of branches but can grow in axils. When in full bloom, the plant is quite showy and a colony of them can be quite spectacular along a woodland margin. Sandhills St. John's Wort requires at least 6 hours of sun a day for maximum blooms and does best in dry soil.

Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:

No known diseases or insect pests.

 

See this plant in the following landscape:
Pinehurst Greenway Pollinator Habitat Garden, Moore County
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#evergreen#showy flowers#full sun tolerant#yellow flowers#native shrub#fall interest#small mammals#NC native#summer flowers#spring interest#pollinator plant#fantz#food source nectar#food source pollen#sandy soils tolerant#bird friendly#food source hard mast fruit#mammals#bee friendly#Audubon
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#evergreen#showy flowers#full sun tolerant#yellow flowers#native shrub#fall interest#small mammals#NC native#summer flowers#spring interest#pollinator plant#fantz#food source nectar#food source pollen#sandy soils tolerant#bird friendly#food source hard mast fruit#mammals#bee friendly#Audubon
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Hypericum
    Species:
    lloydii
    Family:
    Clusiaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Division
    Seed
    Stem Cutting
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Southeastern United States
    Distribution:
    Georgia , North Carolina , South Carolina , Virginia, and Alabama.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 0 ft. 8 in.
    Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Native Plant
    Perennial
    Shrub
    Wildflower
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Dense
    Erect
    Multi-stemmed
    Spreading
    Growth Rate:
    Slow
    Maintenance:
    Medium
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Soil Texture:
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Occasionally Dry
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Summer
    Fruit Type:
    Capsule
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Width:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    A 3 to 5 celled capsule, sometimes fleshy. Fruit is available June-October.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Cyme
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Long Bloom Season
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Fall
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Tubular
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    Flowers are about 1/3 inch. Solitary or cymose, terminal or axillary. Yellow (usually) 5-petaled (rarely 4), 5 sepals (rarely 4); stamens numerous, in bundles or in showy boss; Flowers bloom June-September.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Value To Gardener:
    Fragrant
    Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Opposite
    Whorled
    Leaf Margin:
    Entire
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    < 1 inch
    Leaf Width:
    < 1 inch
    Leaf Description:
    The linear leaves grow to an average of about 2/3-inch, and other leaves can grow in the axils so as to make plants appear to have whorled leaves. In the winter, leaves may appear bronze. They are very narrow, nearly looking like needles. Opposite or whorled, decussate, simple, entire; sessile or petiole short.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Description:
    Numerous branches from the base, some erect and other spreading. Contains 2 to 4(up to 6) ridges on newer growth, smooth and rounded on older growth.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Container
    Rock Wall
    Landscape Theme:
    Native Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Design Feature:
    Border
    Mass Planting
    Attracts:
    Bees
    Pollinators
    Songbirds