St. Johns Wart
Seed # 213
Basic Information
- Seed Number
- 213
- Seed Name
- St. Johns Wart
- Variety
- Not recorded
- Category
- Medicinal
- Plant Family
- Hypericaceae
- Plant Type
- Common St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum)
- Planting Method
- Direct Sow or Transplant
- Seed Status
- In Seed Bank
- Created
- 2026-08-14 00:50:34
- Updated
- 2026-08-19 15:35:29
Planting Information
- Start Planting Date
- Feb 10
- Last Recommended Planting Date
- May 31
- Plantable Months
- February, March, April, May
- Indoor Start
- Feb 10 – Mar 10
- Direct Sow
- Apr 1 – May 31
- Transplant
- May 6 – May 31
- Indoor Start Weeks Before Frost
- 12 weeks
- Transplant Weeks After Frost
- 0 weeks
- Germination Days
- 10–20 days
- Harvest/Maturity
- Not recorded
- Succession Planting
- Not recorded
Growing Conditions
- Ideal Soil Temperature
- Not recorded
- Planting Depth
- Surface sow; light required
- Plant Spacing
- 18-24 in
- Row Spacing
- 24-36 in
- Thin-To Spacing
- 18-24 in
- Sun Requirements
- Full sun to partial shade
- Water Needs
- Moderate; established plants tolerate dry periods
- Soil Preference
- Well-drained soil; adaptable to sandy, loamy and clay soils
- Minimum Container Size
- container growing can help limit spread
- Plant Height
- Up to 3 ft
- Perennial/Biennial Status
- Perennial
- Container Friendly
- Yes
- Trellis/Support Needed
- No
- Frost Tolerant
- Yes
- Heat Tolerant
- Yes
- Drought Tolerant
- Yes
- Pollinator Friendly
- Yes
- Medicinal
- Yes
Garden Uses
Container Medicinal Pollinator Seed Saving TeaCompanion Planting
No companion relationships recorded.
Storage
- Seed Source/Brand
- NC State Extension; NCCIH
- Packet Year
- Not recorded
- Quantity Notes
- Not recorded
- Purchase Date
- Not recorded
- Expiration Year
- Not recorded
- Storage Box
- Not recorded
- Container
- Not recorded
- Envelope
- Not recorded
- Row
- Not recorded
- Slot
- Not recorded
- Storage Notes
- Not recorded
Notes
Original Planting Method: Surface sow or sow very shallowly; germination can be irregular and may benefit from light/cold exposure
Outdoor / Direct Sow / Transplant Window: Early spring through midsummer; fall sowing is also possible for natural cold exposure
Germination Time: Variable; often several weeks
Days to Harvest / Bloom: Leaves/flowers can be harvested once plants are established; flowering is typically in summer
Container Friendly: Yes; container growing can help limit spread
Pollinator Friendly: Yes; flowers attract bees and other insects
Medicinal / Herbal Use: Yes, traditional herbal use; however, it has many clinically important drug interactions—check with a clinician/pharmacist before use
Perennial?: Yes; perennial
Succession / Reusable Notes: No succession needed. Deadhead before seed set if spread is unwanted.
Zone 6B Notes: Hardy enough for Zone 6B; control reseeding/spread. Do not treat it as a casual tea/herb if anyone takes medications.
Companion Plants: Other hardy meadow herbs and pollinator flowers with similar sun/moisture needs
Avoid Planting Near / Watch Outs: Can spread by seed and rhizomes and is considered invasive/weedy in some regions. Major caution: St. John's wort can interact with many medicines and can reduce the effectiveness of some drugs.
Sources: NC State Extension: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/hypericum-perforatum/ | NCCIH: https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/st-johns-wort
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Zone 6B: Hypericum perforatum is hardy in Zone 6B and can spread aggressively by rhizomes and prolific self-seeding.
Germination: Seed benefits from 4-6 weeks of cold stratification. It requires light to germinate, so do not bury deeply.
Harvest: Flowering tops are the traditional harvested portion and are commonly gathered around peak bloom.
Seed Saving: Allow capsules to mature and dry. One plant can produce extremely large quantities of persistent seed.
Special Care: The supplied spelling 'St. Johns Wart' is preserved in seed_name. The documented plant is St. John's wort, Hypericum perforatum. It has important medication interactions and should not be used medicinally without appropriate guidance.
Research Source: NC State Extension Plant Toolbox — https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/hypericum-perforatum/ — Hypericum perforatum identity, perennial habit, 3-foot height, sun, soil adaptation, drought tolerance, rhizomatous spread and prolific seed production
Research Source: Sow Right Seeds — https://sowrightseeds.com/blogs/planters-library/how-to-grow-st-johns-wort-plant-from-seed — 4-6 week cold stratification and light requirement for germination
Research Source: Fruit Hill Farm — https://www.fruithillfarm.com/seeds-and-propagation/organic-seeds/organic-herb-seeds/st-john-s-wort-hypericum-perforatum.html — medicinal classification, full sun, well-drained soil and medication-interaction caution
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