Hypericum punctatum

Spotted St. Johnswort’s sunny yellow blooms almost seem to sparkle, especially after a July rain shower. This beguiling little plant is a favorite of bumblebees, who gather its pollen to feed to their developing larvae. Including spotted St. John's wort in a pollinator garden is one way to help these industrious creatures, which are critical to ecosystem health.

In terms of growing conditions, spotted St. John's wort does best in soils of average moisture under full sun to part shade. Within its native NE Ohio range, the plant can be found in a variety of habitats, including meadows, woodland edges, and open riparian areas.

Attaining a modest height of 1-3 feet, spotted St. John's wort is a great choice for the front portion of the garden bed, and it can make a nice container plant as well. It is especially useful as a midsummer bloomer in a woodland garden when planted in dappled sun or partial shade. In this situation it works well alongside white bergamot and tall thimbleweed.

References: 1,2,3.

Photo © Scott Allen Davis, CC BY 4.0.