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colorful fall leaves of rhus aromatica
Rhus aromatica ‘Gro-Lo’ (Fragrant Sumac) Photo © Mary Free
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Hypericum prolificum (Shrubby St. John’s-wort)

An azure (Celastrina) butterfly perches over an egg she just oviposited at the base of a Hypericum prolificum bud in May.
Hypericum prolificum (Shrubby St. John’s-wort) flower, buds, and persistent fruit in late May.
Absent nectar, a common eastern bumble bee fills her pollen baskets on Hypericum prolificum (Shrubby St. John’s-wort) in late May.
Flowering Hypericum prolificum (Shrubby St. John’s-wort) in the Master Gardener Tribute Garden at the FCC in June.
Hypericum prolificum (shrubby St. John’s-wort) flowers in terminal or axillary cymes in June.
Hypericum prolificum (shrubby St. John’s-wort)
Sessile leaves of Hypericum prolificum
Ovoid capsules with persistent styles of Hypericum prolificum (Shrubby St. John’s-wort) in November
When the fruit of Hypericum prolificum (Shrubby St. John’s-wort) matures, the three style tips separate and the capsule divides into 3 parts release the seeds.
Hypericum prolificum (Shrubby St. John’s-wort)

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Hypericum prolificum Shrubby St. John’s-wort Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic The bright flowers of this compact, native* shrub lack nectar, but its showy, pollen-covered stamens draw numerous native bees. This easy-to-grow species is attractive to gardeners due to its adaptability. It can thrive in a variety of soil types and tolerates heat, drought, soil compaction, flooding, and Black Walnut as well as predation by deer. Shrub Foliage, Flowers, June Shrub, November Fruit Height: 1–5 feet Spread: 1–4 feet Bloom Color: Yellow Characteristics Compact, dense, rounded, deciduous shrub Opposite or whorled, lanceolate, dark green leaves 2–3" long; sessile or with short petiole 1-inch, 5-petaled bright yellow flowers with numerous stamens in terminal or axillary cymes June to August Ovoid capsules with persistent styles split to release black seeds July to November; persist all winter Stems become woody with age & bark exfoliates Spreads by seed (& some sources say rhizomes) Attributes Tolerates heat, drought, soil compaction, dry soil, flooding, wide variety of soils, Black Walnut; no serious pests or diseases; deer seldom severely damage due to toxic chemical hypericin Can cause contact dermatitis; skin contact with sap or ingestion of leaves can cause photosensitivity Attracts native bees & syrphid flies to flowers and birds to seeds; larval host for ~23 lepidopterans Growing and Maintenance Tips Excellent Replacement for Soil Requirements: Well-drained soil Potentilla fruticosa - Bush Cinquefoil Light Requirements: Sun, Partial Shade Rosa ‘Knock Out’ - Yellow Knock Out Rose Water Requirements: Moist Spiraea japonica - Japanese Spiraea Blooming is more profuse in full sun; blooms on new wood; prune in early spring Syringa meyeri – Korean Lilac Syringa vulgaris - Common Lilac Use in shrub border, as hedge, or to stabilize slopes *It is present in DC, in MD (mostly in Montgomery County), and throughout PA. It is not native to DE. In VA, it is frequent in the mountains and Piedmont and infrequent to rare in the Coastal Plain. In NoVA, it is not reported in Arlington County. Hardiness: USDA Zones 3a–8b developed by Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, serving Arlington and Alexandria Images by Mary Free (foliage, fruit) and Elaine Mills (flowers, shrub), Master Gardner Tribute Garden

Tried and True Native Plant Selections 
for the Mid-Atlantic

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Hypericum prolificum (Shrubby St. John’s-wort)

The bright flowers of this compact, native* shrub lack nectar, but its showy, pollen-covered stamens draw numerous native bees. This easy-to-grow species is attractive to gardeners due to its adaptability. It can thrive in a variety of soil types and tolerates heat, drought, soil compaction, flooding, and Black Walnut as well as predation by deer.

*It is present in DC, in MD (mostly in Montgomery County), and throughout PA. It is not native to DE. In VA, it is frequent in the mountains and Piedmont and infrequent to rare in the Coastal Plain. In NoVA, it is not reported in Arlington County. You can view the VA counties in which it has been reported here.


At the Master Gardener Tribute Garden in late May, a female azure (Celastrina) butterfly fluttered around a Hypericum prolificum shrub covered with developing flower buds. She had probably emerged from her pupa and mated the previous day. This day she was hunting for a host for her offspring and had found a promising candidate. In the video, she circles a bud, tapping her feet, which possess taste organs that allow her to sample this potential food source for her larva. Unlike most caterpillars that feed on leaves, azure larvae feed on the flower parts and fruit of woody plants. Reassured of the plant’s suitability, she curves her abdomen downward and oviposits on the bud. She perches over her egg (visible) and basks briefly before flying off to search for another suitable bud. To give her offspring the best chance for survival, she must choose wisely and in a short period of time, as this day or the next would likely have been her last. Video © Mary Free

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Tried and True Native Plant Fact Sheets