Rose Of Sharon, Aaron's beard, Creeping Aron's Beard St. Johnswort
Hypericum calycinum
Family: Hypericaceae
What it is like
Bloom Color: Yellow. Main Bloom Time: Early summer, Late summer, Mid summer. Form: Spreading or horizontal.
Hypericum calycinum is an evergreen Shrub growing to 0.3 m (1ft) by 1 m (3ft 3in) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6. It is in leaf all year, in flower from June to September, and the seeds ripen from September to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay and nutritionally poor soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.
Height (m): 0.3
Where it is found
Grassy places and open woods to 1800 metres.
W. Asia - Turkey. Naturalized in Britain.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 0
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating: 3
A good ground cover plant, succeeding in the heavy shade of trees and in dry shade. Very vigorous, it can swamp out small plants. For the densest cover plants should be cut to ground level each April. A yellow-orange dye is obtained from the flowers.
Dye: Plants that provide dyes.
Ground cover: Ground Cover
How it is grown
Landscape Uses:Border, Cascades, Erosion control, Ground cover, Specimen. Easily grown in any reasonably good well-drained but moisture retentive soil. Succeeds in dry soils and in chalky soils. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Succeeds in sun or shade but flowers better in a sunny position. Grows well even in the shade of tall trees. Tolerates poor soils and also drought when it is established. A very cold-hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to about -25°c. A very ornamental but very invasive plant, spreading by means of stolons. Seldom sets seed in Britain, probably due to our wet autumns. Plants are often afflicted with rust disease. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus. Special Features: Attractive foliage, Not North American native, Invasive, Naturalizing, Attracts butterflies.
Propagating it: Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 3 months at 10°c. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood 10 - 12 cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Plant out in the following spring. Cuttings of mature wood, 12 - 17cm with a heel, October/November in a sheltered position outdoors. Plants root by the spring. Good percentage. Division in spring as new growth commences. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; not Deep Shade; Ground Cover;
Habit: Shrub
Hardiness: 5-10
Growth: Fast
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Full shade, semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Dry, moist