My Deer Garden

Is Shrubby St. John's Wort deer resistant?

Hypericum prolificum

Yellow flowers with prominent stamens on shrubby St John's wort
Photo by Eric Hunt, CC BY-SA 4.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Seldom damaged

Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.

Rating source: Rutgers NJAES E271

Plant typeShrubHardinessZones 3–8LightPart shadeMature height12–60 inBloomSummer
MaintenanceLow, mostly leave it alone
Native range34 US states

About Shrubby St. John's Wort

A native shrub with dense yellow flowers full of stamens through midsummer, and it holds a neat rounded shape without pruning. Tolerates dry rocky soil and part shade, which is a useful combination. Far better behaved than the creeping species.

Soil and care

Soil pH
5.5 to 7.5
Drainage
Well drained
Water
Low
Spacing
35 to 47 in apart
Growth rate
Moderate
Maintenance
Low

Similar to Shrubby St. John's Wort

Other shrubs with the same deer rating.

Where Shrubby St. John's Wort grows

Hardy across most of these 50 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.

Highlighted states are within its native range according to the USDA PLANTS database, where it is native to 34 US states in total.

Browse from here

Every list Shrubby St. John's Wort belongs to.

Hardy in these zones

Common questions about Shrubby St. John's Wort

Is Shrubby St. John's Wort deer resistant?
Shrubby St. John's Wort (Hypericum prolificum) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
What hardiness zones does Shrubby St. John's Wort grow in?
Shrubby St. John's Wort is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
Does Shrubby St. John's Wort grow in shade?
Yes. Shrubby St. John's Wort tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
How big does Shrubby St. John's Wort get?
Mature height is roughly 12–60 in. Growth rate is moderate.