St. Andrew's cross
Hypericum hypericoides
Its common name comes from the unique arrangement of its four bright yellow petals, which cross diagonally to form the cross of St. Andrew.
- Scientific name
- Hypericum hypericoides
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Malpighiales › Hypericaceae › Hypericum
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Dry pine flatwoods, sandy open forests, oak scrubs, and maritime forests
- Diet
- Autotrophic (Photosynthesis)
- Range
- Eastern United States, Southeast United States, Mexico, Caribbean
- Size
- 1 to 3 feet (30 to 90 cm) tall
- Lifespan
- 5-10 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat loss from urban development and severe fire suppression, which allows canopy overgrowth to shade out the forest floor.
- Safe to approach?
- This plant is harmless to touch, but do not ingest. It contains hypericin, a compound that can cause mild toxicity and photosensitivity if eaten in large quantities. Safe to admire and photograph from any distance.
Hypericum hypericoides , commonly called St. Andrew's cross , is a species of flowering plant in the St. John's wort family, Hypericaceae. It is native to the Southeastern United States, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. Its preferred habitat is dry woods on acidic soil. It is an erect shrub that produces yellow flowers with four petals.
Photo: Michael J. Papay, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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