(AKA St. John's Wort, Aaron's Beard, Jerusalem Star)

Hypericum calycinum is a beautiful low maintenance plant which can be used as a flowering shrub or ground cover. Many consider this plant to be one of the finest and most dramatic groundcovers ever.

Semi-evergreen 1" wide leaves emerge chartreuse-bronzed, but quickly turn medium green then dark green, with fall color being a deep purplish blue-green. Bright and showy canary yellow, 3" diameter flowers cover it from early-summer to early-fall. The large five-petalled brightly golden flower has the most awesome fuzzy stamins, like a yellow fluff, quite like a tuft of hair, or a beard. It has a dense, trailing, semi-woody habit.

Excellent for rock gardens, border fronts, naturalized plantings, erosion control, and for stabilizing embankments or hillsides. Good for planting under trees where it competes well with shallow tree roots.

Recommended for moderate to large areas, as it will spread indefinitely. It accepts a radical shearing if you want to keep it compact, low-growing, and extend the bloom period. It can also be mowed to the ground every year or two in winter or early spring if you wish to rejuvenate it and induce new growth.

One of very few effective groundcovers for dry, shady areas. Prefers moist, well-drained, average fertility soils in partial shade, but is tolerant of poor soils, sandy soils, various soil pHs, some soil compaction, heat, and drought. Spreads moderately fast by rhizomes. Top growth may be killed to the ground by winters in zones 5/6. Mature height 12" - 18", spacing 15" - 20".

Hypericum calycinum is a shrubby species of Hypericum, family Clusiaceae, noted for its much larger flowers than most other species in the genus. It is a low, creeping, woody shrub. Although not technically a vine, it is close enough that we include it when searching for vines. The green, ovate leaves grow in opposite pairs. The solitary flowers are 3-5 cm in diameter, a rich yellow, with five petals, and numerous yellow stamens.

Aaron's Beard flowers best when cut back early each spring and watered during drought, and accepts radical shearing if you want to keep it compact, low growing and flowery. It is indigenous to southeast Europe and southwest Asia.

USDA: Characteristics of Hypericum calycinum

Full sun Part sun