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Saint Johnswort Clusiaceae Hypericum spp. L. Listen to the Latin Print a QR link to this factsheet symbol: HYPER
Leaf: Opposite, simple, oblong, entire margins, 1 to 2 inches long, blue green above, paler below, transparent dots when held up to light (may need a hand lens), clusters of smaller leaves often in leaf axils.
Flower: Bright yellow, 4 or 5 petals and sepals, 1 1/2 inches across, clustered at twig ends, appearing in summer.
Fruit: Dry, usually 5 parted capsules, 1/4 to 1/2 inch across, ripens in late summer.
Twig: Slender, brown, and angled.
Bark: On larger stems finely shreddy and scaly.
Form: A small, sprawling shrub up to 2 feet high.
 Looks like: Morrow honeysuckle - border privet

Saint Johnswort leaf image
Saint Johnswort flower image
Saint Johnswort fruit image
Saint Johnswort twig image
Saint Johnswort bark image
Saint Johnswort form image
Saint Johnswort map image

Additional Range Information: Hypericum spp. is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
More Information: Fall Color
External Links: USDAFS FEIS Silvics - USDA Plants Database - Horticulture Information
All material 2025 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information