Perforate St. John's Wort

Hypericum perforatum

Plant Data

Order:

Malpighiales

Family:

Hypericaceae (St. John's Wort)

Type:

Flower

Flowering Months:

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

Flower:

Yellow, 5 petals

5-petalled golden yellow flowers with black dots on petals and sepals upon close examination. Sepals are pointed.

Fruit:

A 3-chambered, dry, ovate seed capsule, up to 6mm in size. The capsule opens lengthwise to release its black and shiny seeds.

Leaves:

Simple, untoothed leaves. Leaves are small, oval to lanceolate, almost clasping the stems. The leaves are in opposite pairs along the stems and are covered in numerous translucent dots.

Maximum Size:

80 centimetres tall

Foraging Notes:

Poisonous. The sap contains toxins and contact with this plant can cause skin irritation with some people. Other symptoms may include gastrointestinal complications, allergic reactions and tiredness.
Never consume a wild plant unless you are 100% certain that it is safe to eat and you know that you have identified it correctly.

Aroma:

Smells resinous, similar to turpentine.

Other Names:

Amber, Cammock, Chase-Devil, Common Goatweed, Common St John's Wort, Demon Chaser, Devil Chaser, Devil's Flight, Devil's Scourge, Goatsbeard, God's Wonder Plant, Grace of God, Hardhay, Herb John, Human Blood, Klamathweed, Oil of Jesus, Penny John, Racecourse Weed, Rosin Rose, Rosin Rose, Spotted St John's Wort, St Columba's Flower, Tipton Weed, Touch-and-heal.

Frequency (UK):

Common

Habitats:

Grassland, hedgerows, meadows, roadsides, wasteland, wetland, woodland.