January Flower of the Month: Hypericum

A favorite addition to use around the Christmas season is Hypericum, which is a woodsy stem with broad green leaves and a colorful splash of berries at the tips. If the stems remain in the ground the berries will burst into a yellow flower with 5 petals and many stamens however in the fresh flowers field they are cut before blooming to take advantage of the colorful berries produced. Hypericum is known for its long-lasting quality and comes in burgundy, white, pink, green and red colored berries.

Family- Hypericum is a genus of flowering plants in the family Hypericaceae.  All members of the genus are referred to as St. John’s Wort which is a common sight at over the counter pharmacies.

Origin- Hypericum is originally from Europe, North Africa and Western Asia. Hypericum is found throughout the world except for tropical areas and dry desert areas and cold polar regions.

Flower Care- As with all stems, recut the stem on an angle, remove leaves below the water line and use the floral powder provided. As noted, Hypericum is known for its long-lasting quality however when you notice the berries becoming discolored this is the first sign of vase life coming to an end. 

Fun Facts- The name Hypericum is thought to come from the Greek word “hyper” meaning above and “eikon” meaning picture as the flowers were place above pictures to ward off evil spirits. The common name St. John’s Wort refers to John the Baptist as the plant blooms in late June around the time of the Feast of St. John the Baptist. The term “wort” refers to the old English name for herb or plant.

Be sure and add colorful Hypericum berries to all of your holiday arrangements. We will have them available throughout the season!