Hypericum myrtifolium Lam.

Myrtle Leaf St. John's Wort; Pale St. John's Wort

Shrub

Perennial

Vascular

Myrtle Leaf St. John's Wort is an evergreen native shrub in the St. John’s Wort family (Hypericaceae). It is native to the southernmost counties in Alabama. Myrtle Leaf St. John's Wort occurs in pine flatwoods, at the high water level around depression ponds, and in bogs. It is a woody shrub reaching a height of around 3 feet. Stems are usually branched only in the upper half. Young stems are green and glaucous. Older stems have grayish bark that flakes off in thin plates. Leaves are opposite, ovate or triangular in outline, entire, sessile, with the bases somewhat clasping. The leaves are glabrous, glaucous, and glandular dotted on the lower surface. Flowers are produced in cymes at the apex of the stems. Individual flowers have 5 ovate to elliptic sepals, 5 yellow petals, and numerous yellow stamens. The fruit is a capsule. Myrtle Leaf St. John's Wort is only rarely available from native plant nurseries. It requires a sandy or peaty soil that never dries out. It can be used around ponds or in bog gardens.--A. Diamond

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Native FACW (NWPL)

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