Hypericum x inodorum Magical Universe Kolmuni - St. John's wort

Hypericum x inodorum Magical Universe 'Kolmuni' is one of the most colourful in the Magical® St John's wort series, and also one of the most resistant. This bush has a naturally upright and compact habit, and its beautiful dark green deciduous foliage is highly resistant to rust. Throughout the summer, brilliant orange-yellow flowers, purple stems, and clusters of dark red fruits mingle on a backdrop of dark green foliage. The brown fruits, when ripe, often persist until the beginning of winter, contributing to making this bush attractive for many months. A truly all-terrain plant, this St John's wort fears neither cold, drought, nor poor soils. It thrives in full sun or partial shade in flower beds, rockeries, borders, or even in a pot on a terrace.

Magical Universe is part of a new generation of hybrids developed in Holland, resistant to the rust disease that affects many shrubby hypericums in humid climates, particularly those derived from Hypericum inodorum, native to the Island of Madeira. The Magical® hypericums produce berries of varied colours depending on the variety, ranging from white to green, yellow, pink, orange, red, and almost black. These compact little bushes flower generously and regularly from their first year in the garden and bear fruit generously. All these plants belong to the Hypericaceae family.

With rapid growth, 'Kolmuni' will not exceed 80cm (32in) in height and 60cm (24in) in width in 5 to 10 years. It has a compact, upright, and dense habit, well-ramified vegetation, and most often deciduous leaves. They are ovate in shape, tough, without a petiole, and attached to yellow branches that are purple in spring. The leaves are dark green and slightly glaucous underneath. It flowers for practically four months of the year, from June-July to September-October. The flowers are produced in abundance in clusters of 3 to 23 very small flowers, 1.5 to 3cm (1in) in diameter. Carried on purple petioles, they are composed of 5 rounded petals in a bright orange-yellow, arranged in an open cup. The centre of the flower is occupied by a crown of prominent, quite long stamens. This flowering is followed by the formation of beautiful clusters of shiny conical fruits, which are purple-red in colour, turning brown when ripe, 8 to 13mm (0.3 to 0.5in) in diameter.

St. John's wort is appreciated for its long flowering period and ease of cultivation in all soils and under all our climates, even by the sea and even in the shade. It is ideal for a new garden, even for novice gardeners. It excels in all areas of the garden, whether they are sunny or shaded and impoverished by tree roots. It only requires well-drained soil to thrive in beds. In light undergrowth, it can be planted with snowberries, and Lonicera nitida, which will cover the soil with a dense and ornamental vegetation. In the sun, plant it with shrubby lavatera, Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea Nana', blue perennial geraniums, Alchemilla mollis, or a dwarf conifer with silver-blue foliage like Picea pungens Glauca 'Globosa'. Its orange-yellow flowering will not compete with more pastel spring flowering. Perfectly hardy, plant in full sun in cool regions, and semi-shade in hot climates. Protect its foliage from the scorching sunlight.