The genus is characterised by searing yellow single flowers borne from summer to the end of autumnAll across the top field that my mother walks twice daily,the St John’s wort has turned the most wonderful autumn red: a burnished burnt umber, paunchy with ripening seed heads. It looked brilliant among the summer-blond grasses.
St John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) is so named because of its organization with the knights of the Crusades and was traditionally hung around the house on St John’s Eve, or in midsummer,to ward off bad spirits. It is one of a number of native hypericums. The common one, H. perforatum, or is used pharmaceutically for depression and as an anti-inflammatory,and it’s a good subject for wildflower gardens. But be warned: it will self-seed shamelessly. You’ll either hold to do lots of weeding or start a pharmaceutical trade.
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Source: theguardian.com