Plant Library

Other Names:  Tedbury Purple

Description:

Bright yellow buttercups with bushy stamens rise from large oval leaves that are bluish-green and tinged with rich purple, foliage is scented when crushed; rich red berries fade to black in fall; widely adaptable but thrives in moist, well-drained soil

Ornamental Features

Albury Purple St. John's Wort has masses of beautiful yellow buttercup flowers at the ends of the branches from early to late summer, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. It has attractive deep purple-tipped bluish-green foliage which emerges deep purple in spring. The large fragrant oval leaves are highly ornamental but do not develop any appreciable fall colour. It features an abundance of magnificent dark red berries from mid summer to mid fall.

Landscape Attributes

Albury Purple St. John's Wort is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other landscape plants with finer foliage.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Albury Purple St. John's Wort is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Albury Purple St. John's Wort will grow to be about 30 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 30 inches. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is particular about its soil conditions, with a strong preference for rich, alkaline soils. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Albury Purple St. John's Wort makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.