Hypericum perforatum seeds: St. John's wort for the garden
St. John's wort is native to the temperate parts of Europe and Asia, stretching as far east as Russia. It is a perennial that grows wild on dry, sunny ground: verges, railway banks, chalk grassland and abandoned fields, and it climbs to considerable altitude in the mountains. The stem is firm and carries two distinct ridges running lengthways. Golden yellow flowers appear around the feast of St. John on 24 June, and flowering continues into August.
Two features make the plant easy to recognise. Hold a leaf up to the light and it is speckled with pale dots; those are oil glands, and they explain the species name perforatum. Then rub a flower bud between your fingers and watch them stain reddish purple, the work of hypericin, the pigment in the dark specks along the petal edges. In a garden setting St. John's wort asks little: poor soil, plenty of sun, hardly any water, and bees and hoverflies find it quickly.
Sowing St. John's wort
- Sow in spring on moist, free-draining soil or in a seed tray.
- Scatter the fine seed on the surface and press it in gently; it needs light to germinate, so leave it uncovered.
- Keep the seedbed damp rather than wet, at normal room temperature or outdoors in part shade.
- Plant seedlings out in a sunny position on lean, well-drained soil; the first real flowering usually follows the year after.
Do keep in mind that St. John's wort counts as an invasive weed in parts of North America, so check whether it may be grown freely where you live. These seeds are sold for cultivation and study, not for consumption.
More exotic seeds at Avalon
Alongside St. John's wort, Avalon Magic Plants stocks Salvia apiana (white sage), Salvia officinalis, Lactuca virosa (wild lettuce), Leonurus cardiaca (motherwort) and Nelumbo nucifera (lotus). Everything leaves our warehouse in discreet packaging.
