# St. John's worts (*Hypericum*) St. John's worts are bright yellow flowers that bloom in the summer. They are known for their special healing properties and can often be found in sunny fields and along roadsides. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Grasslands - **Also known as:** Hypericum, St. John's Wort ![St. John's worts](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/%28MHNT%29_-_Hypericum_%C3%97hidcoteense_-_flower.jpg&width=800) Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%28MHNT%29_-_Hypericum_%C3%97hidcoteense_-_flower.jpg) ## Appearance The St. John's worts has bright yellow, five-petaled flowers that often appear star-shaped with numerous prominent stamens. Its oval leaves have tiny translucent dots, making them look perforated when held up to light, a key identifying feature. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Malpighiales - **Family:** Hypericaceae - **Genus:** Hypericum ## Interesting facts - Ancient people believed carrying this plant offered protection during battles or from bad spirits! - Crushing its flower buds releases a surprising red liquid, almost like a plant bleeding! - It's named after St. John the Baptist, blooming around his feast day in late June! - Its leaves look like they have tiny holes, but they are actually oil glands, not true perforations! ## Special abilities - **Healing Potion Producer:** St. John's worts can produce special chemicals like hypericin that help it defend against pests. - **Sunlight Sensor:** St. John's worts has translucent dots on its leaves that act like tiny windows, helping it capture light efficiently. - **Red Ink Dispenser:** St. John's worts has glands in its flower buds that release a surprising red liquid when crushed. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 50-100 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 1.5-2.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Main pollinator for its nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** Common eastern bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — Visits flowers for nectar and pollen - **Eaten by:** St. John's wort beetle (*Chrysolina quadrigemina*) — Larvae and adults feed on the plant ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [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. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [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. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Do not eat any plants without asking an adult first, as some can be harmful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify St. John's worts? 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 St. John's worts? 50-100 cm ### How wide does St. John's worts spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on St. John's worts? 1.5-2.5 cm ### When does St. John's worts bloom? Summer ### Is St. John's worts edible? No ### Is St. John's worts toxic? Mild ### What is St. John's worts'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*) --- Source: [St. John's worts: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/st-johns-worts)