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Hypericum hypericoides - (L.)Crantz.

Common Name St. Andrews Cross
Family Hypericaceae
USDA hardiness 5-9
Known Hazards Contact with the sap can cause photosensitivity in sensitive people[222].
Habitats Dry sandy soils[43].
Range Eastern N. America - Massachusetts to Florida, west to Texas and Illinois.
Edibility Rating    (0 of 5)
Other Uses    (0 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (2 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Well drained soil Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Hypericum hypericoides St. Andrews Cross


Ted Bodner @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Miller, J.H. and K.V. Miller. 2005. Forest plants of the southeast and their wildlife uses. University of Georgia Press, Athens.
Hypericum hypericoides St. Andrews Cross
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA NRCS. Wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide to plant species. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of shrub
Hypericum hypericoides is a deciduous Shrub growing to 1.2 m (4ft).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6. It is in flower from July to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Ascyrum hypericoides.

Plant Habitats

Woodland Garden Sunny Edge;

Edible Uses

None known

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Antidote  Kidney  Lithontripic

Lithontripic[61]. The root was chewed as an antidote to rattlesnake bites[207, 222]. A tea made from the roots is used in the treatment of colic, fevers, pain, diarrhoea etc[222]. It is applied externally to ulcerated breasts[222]. A tea made from the leaves is used in the treatment of kidney and bladder ailments, skin problems and children's diarrhoea[61, 222]. A milky substance obtained from the plant has been rubbed on sores[257].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

None known

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Easily grown in any reasonably good well-drained but moisture retentive soil[1]. Succeeds in sun or semi-shade but flowers better in a sunny position[1]. Prefers a light loamy soil[11]. One report says that the plant requires frame protection in the winter[1] whilst another says that plants are hardy but short-lived at Kew[11]. It possibly suffers more from wet soils than from the cold, see the plant's native habitat above. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

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Plant Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 3 months at 10°c. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood 10 - 12 cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Plant out in the following spring[200]. Cuttings of mature wood, 12 - 17cm with a heel, October/November in a sheltered position outdoors. Plants root by the spring. Good percentage[78]. Division in spring as new growth commences[78]. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

NORTHERN AMERICA: United States (Indiana (south), Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio (south), Pennsylvania (south), West Virginia, Illinois (south), Kansas (southeast), Missouri (south), Oklahoma, Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, District of Columbia, Texas), Mexico (Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, Chiapas, Hidalgo, Michoacán de Ocampo, Oaxaca, Puebla, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave) SOUTHERN AMERICA: Bahamas, Bermuda, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, United States (Puerto Rico), Guatemala, Honduras

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Hypericum androsaemumTutsan, Sweet-amber, St. JohnswortShrub1.0 5-10 FLMHSNDM013
Hypericum ascyronGreat Saint John's WortPerennial1.5 3-7  LMHSNM12 
Hypericum attenuatum Perennial0.6 -  LMHSNDM10 
Hypericum bellum Shrub1.0 5-9  LMHSNM012
Hypericum calycinumRose Of Sharon, Aaron's beard, Creeping Aron's Beard St. JohnswortShrub0.3 5-10 FLMHFSNDM003
Hypericum erectum Perennial0.6 5-9  LMHSNM11 
Hypericum forrestii Shrub2.0 4-8  LMHSNM002
Hypericum japonicumMatted St. John's WortAnnual/Perennial0.5 -  LMHSNMWe02 
Hypericum kamtschaticum Perennial0.3 -  LMHSNM10 
Hypericum monogynum Shrub0.7 8-11  LMHSNM02 
Hypericum patulumGoldencup St. JohnswortShrub1.0 6-7 MLMHSNM013
Hypericum perforatumSt. John's Wort, Common St. JohnswortPerennial0.9 3-10  LMHSNDM242
Hypericum sampsonii Perennial0.6 8-11  LMHSNM12 

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

(L.)Crantz.

Botanical References

1143200

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

arifullah khan   Fri Jul 22 06:04:46 2005

whethre the references given the end are about Hypericum oblongifolium and can u tell me tell me the page no. of the books given at the end as well as the confirm synonoyms of hypericum oblongifoluium. whether hypericum hyercoides is hypericum oblongifoluium.

Link: Hypericum hypericoides informations regarding Hypericum oblongifolium

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