Whenever St. John's wort is mentioned, it is usually the real St. John's wort that is meant. But there are a number of other species that can be interesting for local gardens. To what extent are they hardy?
The real St. John's wort is very hardy
Most are hardy
The known species are hardy. You therefore do not necessarily need winter protection in the form of leaves, brushwood and the like. The most common types that are hardy include these:
- Real St. John's Wort
- Carpet St. John's Wort
- Upholstery St. John's Wort
- Dwarf St. John's Wort
- Blood St. John's Wort
Furthermore, the less well-known, but still popular marsh St. John's wort, large calyx St. John's wort, whorl-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 rough situation, it is advisable to protect them anyway.
In the case of unusual species, use the country of origin as a guide
If you have a very unusual species and can't figure out if it's hardy, ask where it's from. If it lives in a very warm region where there is usually no frost, it is most likely sensitive to frost.
A 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 or 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 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 is to be noted:
- Cover St. John's wort outdoors with leaves or brushwood
- St. John's wort in the tub with fleece around the pot area and place 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 wintering
Before the plants are winterized, you can prune them back. That would be ideal between the end of October and the beginning of November. Alternatively, the herbs are cut down close to the ground in spring.
tips
Don't worry if the medicinal plant is frozen. You can easily multiply your St. John's wort again in spring by sowing.