Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Hypericaceae

Genus:

Hypericum

Species:

Hypericum majus

USDA Symbol:

HYMA2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Annual

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

60 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

jun,jul,aug,sep

Bloom Colors:

yellow

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Caterpillars:

★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from root crown following fire; found in fire-maintained wet prairies and sedge meadows.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

moist, fertile, well-drained loam

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

tolerates poor drainage

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

Commonly found in wetlands and marshy areas.

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–90 days

Germination Time:

14–30 days

Notes:

Seeds require light for germination; surface sow and do not cover.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI