# Hairy St John's-wort (*Hypericum hirsutum*)

Hairy St John's-wort is a cheerful yellow flower that grows in sunny places. Its bright blooms can be found in fields and meadows, making them a lovely sight to see!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![Hairy St John's-wort](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Hypericum_hirsutum_coteau-charteves_02_23062007_2.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Olivier Pichard, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hypericum_hirsutum_coteau-charteves_02_23062007_2.jpg)

## Appearance

The Hairy St John's-wort has upright, hairy stems and small, oval leaves also covered in soft hairs. Its bright yellow, five-petalled flowers often have tiny black dots along their edges, which sets them apart.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Malpighiales
- **Family:** Hypericaceae
- **Genus:** Hypericum

## Interesting facts

- Ancient people believed carrying St. John's-wort could ward off bad luck!
- Its unique 'hairy' texture helps it stand out from other similar yellow wildflowers!
- Rubbing its flower buds or petals can stain your fingers a surprising purple-red!
- Some species of St. John's-wort have special glands that glow red under ultraviolet light!

## Special abilities

- **Water Trapper:** Hairy St John's-wort has fuzzy leaves and stems that can trap moisture and protect it from sun, helping it survive.
- **Pollinator Beacon:** Its bright yellow flowers produce nectar and pollen, acting like a beacon to attract bees and other helpful insects.
- **Seed Spreader:** This plant produces many tiny seeds in capsules that burst open, allowing it to spread new plants far and wide.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-90 cm
- **Spread:** 20-40 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer (July-September)
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and pollen.
- **Eats:** St. John's-wort beetle (*Chrysolina hyperici*) — Larvae and adults feed on leaves.
- **Eaten by:** [Roe deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/roe-deer) (*Capreolus capreolus*) — May browse on the foliage.

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always check with an adult before touching or picking flowers.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Hairy St John's-wort?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Hairy St John's-wort?

30-90 cm

### How wide does Hairy St John's-wort spread?

20-40 cm

### How big are the flowers on Hairy St John's-wort?

1-2 cm

### When does Hairy St John's-wort bloom?

Summer (July-September)

### Is Hairy St John's-wort edible?

No

### Is Hairy St John's-wort toxic?

Mild

### What is Hairy St John's-wort's lifecycle?

Perennial

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Hairy St John's-wort: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/hairy-st-johns-wort)