Seasonal Wild Flowers

Perforate St John's-wort

Hypericum perforatum

Hypericaceae

Common St. John's Wort

Late June to September

It is found throughout the country.

See the BSBI distribution map for Perforate St John's-wort

It grows in rough grassland in meadows, hedge banks and

open woodland, and beside roads and railways.

Perforate St. John’s-wort is a native, variable, rhizomatous,

perennial herb, growing up to 80cm.

Flowers are golden yellow and up to 2.5cm.

Petals have black dots and black streaks.

Sepals and bracts have some black dots (the pictures

shown may be a hybrid with Imperforate St. John's-

wort).

The leaves are small, oval to linear and partially clasp

the stem.

They have translucent spots (glands).

The stems have two lines (ridges) down their lengths.

It is widely used in herbal medicine, although there are

concerns that it interferes with drugs used in evidence-

based conventional medicine.

Perforate St. John's-wort on

waste ground

Flower and buds - black spots

Petals with black spots

Calyx from below - some black spots

Leaves with translucent spots

Ridged stem