Hypericum
HYPERICUM ANDROSAEMUM.--Tutsan, or Sweet Amber. Europe (Britain). A
pretty native species, growing about 2 feet high, with ovate leaves
having glandular dots and terminal clustered cymes of yellow flowers.
H. AUREUM.--South Carolina and Georgia, 1882. This soon forms a neat and
handsome plant. The flowers are unusually large, and remarkable for the
tufts of golden-yellow stamens with which they are furnished.
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H. CALYCINUM.--Aaron's Beard, or Rose of Sharon. South-east Europe. This
is a well-known native species of shrubby growth, bearing large yellow
flowers from 3 inches to 4 inches in diameter. It is a prostrate plant,
with coriaceous glossy leaves with small pellucid dots, and of great
value for planting in the shade.
H. ELATUM is a spreading species from North America (1762), growing to
fully 4 feet in height, and bearing terminal corymbs of large, bright
yellow flowers in July and August. Leaves rather large, oblong-ovate,
and revolute. On account of its spreading rapidly from the root, this
species requires to be planted where it will have plenty of room.
H. HIRCINUM.--Goat-scented St. John's Wort. Mediterranean region, 1640.
A small-growing and slender species, with oblong-lanceolate leaves 2
inches long, and producing small yellow flowers in terminal heads. There
is a smaller growing form known as H. hircinum minus. The plant emits a
peculiar goat-like odour.
H. MOSERIANUM is a beautiful hybrid form with red anthers.
H. OBLONGIFOLIUM (_syns H. Hookerianum_ and _H. nepalensis_).--Nepaul,
1823. An evergreen species, about 4 feet high, with oblong, pellucid,
dotted leaves, and deep golden, somewhat waxy flowers at the end of
summer.
H. PROLIFICUM.--North America, 1758. This is a much branched twiggy
shrub, about 4 feet high, with small, linear-lanceolate leaves, thickly
studded with pellucid dots. Flowers not very large, five-petalled, and
of a pleasing bright yellow colour. The allied if not identical H.
Kalmiana is worthy of being included in a selection of these plants.
H. URALUM.--Nepaul, 1823. A neat but fragile species that attains to
about a yard in height. Leaves rather small, elliptic, almost stalkless,
and perforated with transparent dots. Flowers small and of a bright
golden yellow.
H. fasciculatum, H. pyrimidatum, and H. patulum are all worthy of
attention, where a good representative collection is of importance. The
Hypericums succeed best when planted in a rather sandy and not too dry
loam, and they are readily increased either from divisions or by means
of cuttings.