# Virginia marsh St. John's-wort (*Hypericum virginicum*) Virginia marsh St. John's-wort is a bright yellow flower that grows in wetlands. Its cheerful blooms can brighten up any marshy area and attract many little creatures. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Virginia marsh St. John's-wort](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/10101320/medium.jpg) Photo: naturalist charlie, CC BY 4.0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/10101320) ## Appearance The Virginia marsh St. John's-wort has slender reddish-green stems and small, oval leaves. Its bright yellow, star-shaped flowers, typically 1-2 cm wide, appear in clusters, often fading to a coppery orange hue. It's distinguished by its preference for wet, marshy areas. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Malpighiales - **Family:** Hypericaceae - **Genus:** Triadenum ## Interesting facts - Its unique seeds are super tiny, like specks of dust, easily carried by wind or water! - Look closely! The yellow flowers can turn a lovely reddish-orange as they get older. - Some parts of St. John's-wort glow reddish-orange under a special UV light! - This plant is a wetland champion, happily growing where other plants find it too soggy! ## Special abilities - **Waterlogged Roots:** Virginia marsh St. John's-wort can thrive in saturated soils because its roots tolerate low-oxygen conditions found in wet habitats. - **Color-Changing Blooms:** Virginia marsh St. John's-wort has flowers that can change from bright yellow to a reddish-orange hue as they age, helping it attract pollinators. - **Tiny Seed Traveler:** Virginia marsh St. John's-wort has super tiny, dust-like seeds that are easily dispersed by wind and water to new wetland spots. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-60 cm - **Spread:** 5-20 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for nectar and pollen. - **Pollinates:** Common eastern bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — A common visitor, aids in plant reproduction. - **Eats:** St. John's-wort Casebearer Moth (*Coleophora hypericiella*) — Its larvae feed on the plant's leaves. ## Traits - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [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. - [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. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. ## Collections - [Flowers](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/flowers) - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch plants without asking an adult first. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Virginia marsh St. John's-wort? Count the petals where you can, then compare the flower's center, its symmetry, how the blooms are grouped and the leaves below. Color varies between garden varieties and shifts with the light. Flower Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Virginia marsh St. John's-wort? 10-60 cm ### How wide does Virginia marsh St. John's-wort spread? 5-20 cm ### How big are the flowers on Virginia marsh St. John's-wort? 1-2 cm ### When does Virginia marsh St. John's-wort bloom? Summer ### Is Virginia marsh St. John's-wort edible? No ### Is Virginia marsh St. John's-wort toxic? Mild ### What is Virginia marsh St. John's-wort's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Shenipsit State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/shenipsit-state-forest) — Connecticut, US · Forest - [Triangle Lake Bog State Nature Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/triangle-lake-bog-state-nature-preserve) — Ohio, US · Nature Reserve ## 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: [Virginia marsh St. John's-wort Facts — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/virginia-marsh-st-johns-wort)