Hypericum buckleyi facts for kids

The Buckley's St. Johnswort (scientific name: Hypericum buckleyi) is a special kind of flowering plant. It is quite rare, meaning it's not found in many places. This plant belongs to the Hypericaceae family. You can only find it growing in the Appalachian Mountains in the southeastern part of the United States.

What Does It Look Like?

Buckley's St. Johnswort is a small, bushy plant. It usually grows up to about 45 centimeters (about 1.5 feet) tall. It spreads out to form low, thick mats on the ground. Its stems are reddish and have thin bark that peels off.

The leaves of this plant are shaped like long ovals. They can be up to 25 millimeters (about 1 inch) long and 12 millimeters (about half an inch) wide. They sit directly on the stem without a stalk.

Each plant usually has one flower per cluster, but sometimes it can have up to five. The flowers are about 20 to 25 millimeters (almost an inch) wide. They have five bright golden yellow petals. As the flowers get older, their petals tend to bend backward. The plant also produces small, oval-shaped seed capsules.

This plant typically blooms in early July. People sometimes use it in rock gardens or as a ground cover plant because of its pretty flowers and low-growing habit.

Where Does It Grow?

Buckley's St. Johnswort has a very small natural home. It is only found in the Appalachian Mountains. These plants grow at high elevations, usually between 900 and 1,560 meters (about 2,950 to 5,100 feet) above sea level.

You can find it in specific areas of three states:

• Northeastern Georgia
• Northwestern South Carolina
• Southwestern North Carolina

This plant likes wet places. It often grows in wetlands, like areas where water seeps out of the ground. You might also spot it in moist cracks in rocks or sometimes even along the edges of roads in ditches.