1 / 10

Hypericum androsaemum

tutsan

Hypericaceae

Western and southern Europe, North Africa, western Asia

Attracts Pollinators Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant Container Friendly

SunPart Shade – Full Shade

WaterMedium · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 6–9

Overview

Hypericum androsaemum is a semi-evergreen shrub 50-100 cm (20-39 in) tall and about as wide, with upright, two-edged reddish stems and opposite, broadly oval leaves 5-10 cm (2-4 in) long that smell faintly of curry when crushed. From early summer it bears small yellow flowers 1.5-2 cm (0.6-0.8 in) across with a central tuft of long stamens. The flowers are followed by rounded berry-like capsules that ripen from green through red to glossy purple-black, often with several colour stages present at once. It forms a rounded, twiggy bush that self-seeds freely in shade and can spread into a thicket in damp woodland. The leaves persist through mild winters and drop in hard cold. Foliage contains hypericin and can cause photosensitivity in grazing livestock, and the ripe berries are reported to cause mild stomach upset if eaten. It tolerates dry shade once established but flowers more sparsely there than in lighter positions.

Native Range

Hypericum androsaemum is native to western and southern Europe, North Africa, and western Asia, including the British Isles. It grows in damp woodland, shady hedge banks, and ravines, usually on moist, humus-rich soils. It is not native to North America, where it is grown as an ornamental and has locally naturalised.

Suggested Uses

Planted as low informal cover in shaded shrub borders, woodland edges, and dry shade beneath trees. Used in wildlife gardens where the berries feed birds in autumn. Its self-seeding and rust susceptibility make it better suited to naturalistic than formal plantings.

How to Identify

Identify Hypericum androsaemum by its rounded berry-like capsules that pass through green, red, and glossy purple-black as they ripen, a trait that separates it from most other shrubby St John's-worts. The reddish stems carry two raised ridges, and the paired oval leaves release a curry-like scent when crushed. The yellow flowers have a bushy central cluster of stamens roughly as long as the petals.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1'8" - 3'3"

Width/Spread2' - 3'3"

Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years

Colors

Flower Colors

yellow

Foliage Colors

green

Fall Foliage Colors

red

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~10 weeks

Summer

Flowering runs from June to August. The yellow stamen-tufted flowers open in succession at the stem tips. Berry-like capsules form from midsummer and colour up from green to red to purple-black through autumn, often outlasting the foliage.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

Mid-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunPartial Shade SunFull Shade

Requires 2-6 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam clay chalk

Drainageaverage

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2-3 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow Hypericum androsaemum in moist, humus-rich soil in partial to full shade, where it copes with dry shade once its roots are down. It tolerates a range of soils and pH but flowers more freely with some light. The shrub is hardy to about USDA zone 6 and needs no winter protection in temperate gardens. Cut stems back hard in early spring to keep the habit compact and renew growth. It self-seeds readily, so clear ripe berries where seedlings are unwanted. Rust disease can spot and disfigure the foliage in damp seasons.

Pruning

Cut all stems back to 15-30 cm (6-12 in) in early spring to renew the foliage and shape the bush. Remove dead or rust-spotted wood as it appears through the season. Trim off spent flower and berry stems to limit self-sowing.