When we talk about St. John's wort, we usually mean St. John's wort. But there are a whole range of other species that can be interesting for local gardens. How hardy are they?
Is St. John's wort hardy?
Most St. John's wort species, such as real, carpet, upholstery, dwarf and blood St. John's wort, are hardy and require little to no winter protection. Only a few species, such as Balearic and Egyptian St. John's wort, are sensitive to frost and require protection in cold regions.
Most of them are hardy
The known species are hardy. They therefore do not necessarily need winter protection in the form of leaves, brushwood, etc. The most common species that are well hardy include these:
- Real St. John's Wort
- Carpet St. John's Wort
- St. John's wort
- Dwarf St. John's Wort
- Blood St. John's Wort
Furthermore, the less well-known but nevertheless popular marsh St. John's wort, large-leaved St. John's wort, whorled-leaved St. John's wort, mountain St. John's wort, beautiful St. John's wort and large-flowered St. John's wort are sufficiently frost-tolerant. However, if these species are in a harsh situation, it is advisable to still protect them.
For unusual species, orientate yourself on the country of origin
If you have a very unusual species and can't find out whether it is hardy, find out where it comes from. If it is native to a very warm region where there is usually no frost, it is most likely sensitive to frost.
Few species are poorly hardy
Only a few species that find their home in warmer to tropical regions prove to be poorly winter-hardy in Germany and Central Europe. These include, for example, the Balearic St. John's wort and the Egyptian St. John's wort.
How to protect St. John's wort in winter
In order to be able to cultivate winter-hardy St. John's herbs for several years, you do not need to protect them from frost. But under certain circumstances, winter protection is not a mistake. For example, if you only planted the plant in autumn, winter protection is worthwhile. Plants in pots should also be protected.
This should be noted:
- Cover St. John's wort outdoors with leaves or brushwood
- Wrap St. John's wort in the pot with fleece (€32.00 on Amazon) in the pot area and place it on the wall of the house
- for useful plants: it is better to dispose of them every three years and plant new plants (flowering power decreases significantly)
Cut back before or after overwintering
Before winterizing the plants, you can cut them back. This would be ideal between the end of October and the beginning of November. Alternatively, the herbs can be cut close to the ground in spring.
Tip
Don't worry if the medicinal plant is frozen. You can easily multiply your St. John's wort again in spring by sowing.