St. John's Wort Ames Kalm

Other Names:  Kalm's St. John's Wort

Description:

A neatly rounded garden shrub with dazzling golden yellow flowers in mid summer; this variety is slightly hardier than the species and has a more uniform shape, great for massing, tolerates dry conditions particularly well

Ornamental Features

Ames St. John's Wort is smothered in stunning gold flowers along the branches in mid summer. The flowers are excellent for cutting. It has bluish-green foliage throughout the season. The narrow leaves do not develop any appreciable fall color. The fruit is not ornamentally significant.

Planting & Growing

Ames St. John's Wort will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to dry locations, and dislikes excessive moisture. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selection of a native North American species.