Creeping St. John's Wort for Hot, Dry Slopes: Invasiveness Caution

Hypericum calycinum tolerates your west-facing, hot, dry slope between walk and basement—but can become invasive.

Pros for Your Site

• Drought tolerant once established.
• Handles reflected heat.
• Dense mat suppresses weeds.
• Yellow summer flowers.

Invasiveness Warning

• Spreads aggressively by rhizomes.
• Hard to contain without edging.
• May invade lawn/beds.

Management

• Install deep edging (metal, plastic).
• Monitor edges monthly.
• Consider clumping alternatives: Hypericum prolificum (shrubby), H. kalmianum.

Resource

Missouri Botanical Garden profile: Hypericum calycinum

Effective but requires commitment to containment.