St. John's Wort, Great (Hypericum ascyron)

Larger and more dramatic than many of its relatives, Great St. John’s Wort produces towering stems lined with broad, deep green leaves and crowned in midsummer with brilliant yellow blossoms. These flowers, often 2-3 inches across, unfurl wide, buttery petals surrounding dense clusters of golden stamens that shimmer in sunlight. Their bright presence draws bumblebees and other beneficial insects, making the plant a happy addition to pollinator gardens.

Great St. John’s Wort has often been appreciated for its symbolic associations with warmth, protection, and midsummer vitality- traits tied to the plant’s golden flowers and its habit of blooming at the height of the season. It thrives in full sun to light shade and welcomes consistently moist soils, rewarding such conditions with lush growth and generous blooms.