Care of the shrub Hypericum calycinum or Rose-of-Sharon |
The genus Hypericum, family Hypericaceae, includes 400 species of herbaceous plants, shrubs and trees distributed by almost all the continents. Some species are: Hypericum calycinum, Hypericum canariense, Hypericum grandifolium, Hypericum revolutum, Hypericum olympicum, Hypericum polyphyllum, Hypericum elatum, Hypericum fragile, Hypericum roeperianum, Hypericum balearicum, Hypericum x inodorum. Common names: Rose-of-Sharon, Creeping St. John's Wort, Aaron's beard, Jerusalem star. This species is native to Turkey. They are evergreen shrubs with a creeping bearing that spread horizontally through stolons and do not exceed 45 cm (17.71") in height. The leaves are opposite, leathery, ovate-elliptical in shape and deep green in color. The showy flowers are yellow and have numerous threadlike stamens. They bloom in summer. Rose-of-Sharon is used as isolated specimens, in bushy groups, to cover slopes and low walls and in undergrowth. It's ideal for Mediterranean coastal gardens and for cities. Hypericum calycinum can grow in full sun, semi-shade and shade exposures. It resists non-persistent frosts. Creeping St. John's Wort prefers a light soil, well drained and containing organic matter but it also grows in poor or calcareous soils. Water moderately, waiting for the substrate to dry; greatly reduce watering in winter. Fertilize with compost in autumn and with mineral fertilizer every 30 days in summer. Prune intensively in autumn to strengthen the plant and control its lateral expansion. Hypericum calycinum is a shrub resistant to the usual pests and diseases. Aaron's beard is propagated by cuttings in summer, by division in fall and from seed sown in spring. |
Images of the shrub Hypericum calycinum or Rose-of-Sharon |