Tall tutsan
Hypericum inodorum · Hypericaceae
📷 Jamain · CC BY-SA 3.0
⚠️ Hypericum : hypéricine photosensibilisante et phototoxique. Contact + exposition solaire cause dermatite ; ingestion peut provoquer photosensibilité chez animaux et humains.
The gardener's calendar
Tall tutsan is in full bloom: enjoy it, watch watering in hot weather and let spent flowers feed pollinators before pruning.
ID card
- Foliage
- Deciduous, lance-shaped, light green to medium green
- Flowering
- June to September, yellow flowers in panicles
- Adult size
- 150 cm tall, bushy and spreading habit
- Growth
- Moderate to fast
- Hardiness
- Good, down to approximately -15 °C
- Origin
- Mediterranean region and Canary Islands
- Soil type
- Well-drained, tolerates poor to average soils
✓ Taxonomy verifiedSource: AI estimate · hardiness: reliability medium.
Expert tips
The key tip
Hypericum inodorum produces its berries in the fall following its flowering. Don't prune it before autumn, or you'll remove the flowers.
The common mistake
Cutting it back hard in summer thinking it will help: you'll completely lose the year's fruiting and the main ornamental interest (the red berries).
The pro's trick
Pinch the tips of young stems in May to force branching and get more flowers and therefore more berries.
Seasonal watch
September-November: the berries are magnificent.
Care
Watering
Water regularly and moderately during the growing season (spring-summer), especially during hot spells. Gradually reduce watering in autumn and limit it in winter. Allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings to prevent waterlogging.
Sunlight
Place the shrubby St. John's wort in full sun for generous flowering and vigorous growth. It tolerates light shade, but will produce fewer flowers and more etiolated stems. Full sun will also enhance the bright yellow colour of the flowers.
Pruning
Prune lightly after flowering to maintain a compact shape. In late winter (February-March), perform rejuvenation pruning by removing dead or damaged branches. This operation encourages branching and abundant flowering the following year.
Fertilizer
Apply balanced fertilizer in spring at the start of growth. An additional application in summer can support continuous flowering. Poor soils benefit from moderate enrichment, without excess to avoid favouring foliage over flowers.
Soil and planting
Prepare well-drained soil, as St. John's wort dreads waterlogging. Incorporate sand or gravel if your soil is heavy. Planting takes place in spring or autumn; space plants 80 to 100 cm apart to allow good expansion.
Diseases and pests
This species is generally robust. In very humid conditions, watch for rust or powdery mildew attacks. Spider mites may appear in dry, hot atmospheres. Good air circulation, watering at the base, and keeping the area clean limit fungal problems.
Did you know?
Shrubby St. John's wort has been renowned since antiquity for its soothing and tonic properties. In the West, legend associated it with protection against malevolent spirits, hence its use in traditional herbal medicine. Its bright red berries are particularly decorative in autumn and provide a food resource for birds.
Where to buy it
Best planted in autumn so the roots settle in before summer, or in early spring once the frost has passed. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: March, October, November.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
- Rose of sharonHypericum calycinum
- Egyptian Saint John's WortHypericum aegypticum
- Hooker's St. JohnswortHypericum hookerianum
- Kalm's St. John's-wortHypericum kalmianum
- Moser's St. John's wortHypericum moserianum
- Hypericum dummeriHypericum dummeri
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.