Hypericaceae
Common St. Johnswort
Hypericum perforatum
- Family
- Hypericaceae
- Genus
- Hypericum
Pets and kids
- CatsToxic
- DogsToxic
- KidsToxic
Why
Cats: Toxic
Toxic to cats (moderate). Toxic principle: hypericin.
Signs: photosensitization, ulcerative dermatitis, exudative dermatitis.
- St. John's Wort - Toxic and Non-toxic Plants - ASPCA ASPCA Animal Poison Control
Dogs: Toxic
Toxic to dogs (moderate). Toxic principle: hypericin.
Signs: photosensitization, ulcerative dermatitis, exudative dermatitis.
- St. John's Wort - Toxic and Non-toxic Plants - ASPCA ASPCA Animal Poison Control
Kids: Toxic
Toxic to young children (moderate). Toxic principle: hypericin.
Signs: photosensitivity, ulcerative dermatitis, gastrointestinal disturbances, allergic reactions, fatigue.
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Is Common St. Johnswort safe for cats, dogs and kids?
Is Common St. Johnswort safe for cats?
No. Our sources call Common St. Johnswort toxic to cats (moderate). Toxic principle: hypericin. Signs: photosensitization, ulcerative dermatitis, exudative dermatitis.
- St. John's Wort - Toxic and Non-toxic Plants - ASPCA ASPCA Animal Poison Control
Is Common St. Johnswort safe for dogs?
No. Our sources call Common St. Johnswort toxic to dogs (moderate). Toxic principle: hypericin. Signs: photosensitization, ulcerative dermatitis, exudative dermatitis.
- St. John's Wort - Toxic and Non-toxic Plants - ASPCA ASPCA Animal Poison Control
Is Common St. Johnswort safe for kids?
No. Our sources call Common St. Johnswort toxic to young children (moderate). Toxic principle: hypericin. Signs: photosensitivity, ulcerative dermatitis, gastrointestinal disturbances, allergic reactions, fatigue.
Ate some? Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (a fee may apply). For a child, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US). If they are struggling to breathe or collapse, call 911. Don't give anything by mouth unless a vet or poison expert tells you to.
See all cat-safe plants, dog-safe plants and child-safe plants.
Common names
By language (72)
- Arabic
- عرن مثقوب, St John's Wort, نبتة سانت جونز, حشيشة القلب, حشيشة الكبد, داذي رومي, عشبة شياطين, عشبة لسع
- Armenian
- Սրոհունդ սովորական, Սրոհունդ
- arz
- عرن مثقوب
- azb
- ساری کانتارون
- Azerbaijani
- Adi dazı
- ba
- Һары мәтрүшкә
- Basque
- Santio belar
- Belarusian
- Святаяннік прадзіраўлены, Дзюравец, Заячча кроў, Зверабой, Зелле Святога Івана, Красная травіца, Кроўка, Крываўнік
- Bosnian
- Kantarion
- Bulgarian
- Жълт кантарион, Лечебен кантарион, Порезниче
- Cantonese
- 貫葉連翹
- Catalan
- Pericó, Corassonillo, Diablot, Herba de Sant Joan, Pericó.
- Chinese
- 貫葉連翹, 贯叶连翘, St John's wort, 千层楼, 夜关门, 小叶金丝桃, 小金丝桃, 贯叶连翘（贯叶金丝桃）
- Croatian
- Kantarion, Gospina trava
- csb
- Krziżewé drzéwkò
- Czech
- Třezalka tečkovaná
- Danish
- Prikbladet Perikon, Prikbladet Pericon, Prikbladet perikum
- Dutch
- Sint-Janskruid, Sint Janskruid, Sintjanskruid, St janskruid, St. Janskruid
- English
- Common St. Johnswort, Perforate St John's-wort, St John's wort, Common St. John's wort, Perforate St. Johns-wort, St. John's wort
- Esperanto
- Trapunkta hiperiko, Hiperiko punktata, Hiperiko punktita
- Estonian
- Liht-naistepuna
- Finnish
- Mäkikuisma
- French
- Millepertuis commun, Millepertuis officinal, Millepertuis perfore, Millepertuis perforé
- frp
- Tê Sârvâjo, Lo Tê Sârvâjo
- frr
- Echt Johanniskrüüs
- Galician
- Abeloura, Herba de San Xoán
- Georgian
- Კრაზანა
- German
- Echtes Johanniskraut, Blutkraut, Echt-Johanniskraut, Echtes Tüpfel-Hartheu, Echtes Tüpfel-Johanniskraut, Elfenblut, Gemeines Johanniskraut, Jarsin
- Greek
- Βάλσαμο, Βαλσαμόχορτο, Σπαθόχορτο
- Hebrew
- פרע מנוקב
- hsb
- Dźěrkaty křižomnik, Dźěrkate janske zelo, Dźěrkawe łopješko, Janske zelo, Konjaca krej, Lubozne zelo, Swjatojanske zelo, Twjerda trawa
- Hungarian
- Közönséges orbáncfű, Lyukaslevelű orbáncfű
- Icelandic
- Jóhannesarjurt
- Indonesian
- St. John's Wort
- Irish
- Lus na Maighdine Muire, Beathnua
- Italian
- Iperico, Iperico perforato, Pilatro
- Japanese
- セント・ジョーンズ・ワート, セイヨウオトギリソウ, セントジョンズワート, セントジョーンズウォート, セントジョーンズワート, セント・ジョンズ・ワート, 西洋弟切草
- Kazakh
- Кәдімгі шәйқурай
- Korean
- 서양고추나물
- kw
- Losow S. Jowan
- Latvian
- Divšķautņu asinszāle, Asinszāle
- li
- Dónderkroed, Sint-Janskruid
- Lithuanian
- Paprastoji jonažolė
- Luxembourgish
- Haartnol
- Macedonian
- Кантарион, Жолт кантарион, Обичен кантарион
- Malayalam
- ഹൈപെരികം പെർഫൊറാറ്റം
- mwl
- Yerba amarilha
- Norwegian Bokmål
- Prikkperikum, Johannes Urt, Johannesurt
- nv
- Biłhaazhchin
- os
- Сауджыны тамако
- Persian
- چای کوهی, علف چای, هزارچشم, هوفاریقون, گل راعی
- Polish
- Dziurawiec zwyczajny, Dziurawiec pospolity
- Portuguese
- Erva-de-são-joão, Hipericão, Erva de São João, Hipérico, Erva-cruz, Hipericao, Hiperico, Pericão
- Romanian
- Sunătoare
- rup
- Tindilinâ
- Russian
- Зверобой продырявленный, Заячья кровь, Зверобой дырявый, Зверобой жёлтый, Зверобой обыкновенный, Зверобойник, Красная травица, Кровавец
- Scottish Gaelic
- Eala bhuidhe, Achlaisean Chaluim Chille, Allas Chaluim Chille, Lus-Chaluim-Chille
- Serbian
- Кантарион, Kantarion
- Serbian (Latin)
- Kantarion, Bogorodična trava, Gospino zelje, Kantarijon, Sentjanzevka, Sentjanzovka
- sgs
- Švėnta Juonė žuolie
- Slovak
- Ľubovník bodkovaný, ̝ľubovník bodkovaný
- Slovenian
- Šentjanževka, Grilavec, Janževka, Krvočistnik, Rumena naniknica, Ivanovka, Ivanska roža, Jezusova kri
- Spanish
- Corazón de ciervo, Hierba militar, Hipericón oficinal, Hipérico común, Perforata, Amnica, Cientoenrama, Corazoncillo
- Swedish
- Johannesört, Mansblod, Movina, Äkta Johannesört
- Tajik
- Чойкаҳак
- Turkish
- Kantaron, Binbirdelik otu, Sarı kantaron
- Ukrainian
- Звіробій звичайний, Звіробій продірявлений
- vro
- Naistõpunahain, Viinalill
- Walloon
- Meytrô
- Welsh
- Eurinllys trydwll, Dail y fendigiad, Llysiau Ioan
- Western Frisian
- Sint-Janskrûd
- wuu
- 贯叶连翘
Synonyms
- Hypericum officinale Gaterau
- Hypericum officinarum Crantz
- Hypericum perforatum subsp. vulgare (Spenn.) A.Fröhl.
- Hypericum perforatum var. vulgare Spenn.
- Hypericum vulgare Lam.
Characteristics
- Growth habit
- Forb/herb
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- In the US and Canada
- Canada: introduced, Hawaii: introduced, Lower 48 states: introduced, St. Pierre and Miquelon: introduced
Photos
Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Olivier Pichard, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Olivier Pichard, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Olivier Pichard, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Udo Schmidt from Deutschland, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons
More in Hypericum
- Spotted St. JohnswortHypericum maculatumHypericaceae
- Sweet-amberHypericum androsaemumHypericaceae
- Hairy St John's-wortHypericum hirsutumHypericaceae
- Trailing St. JohnswortHypericum humifusumHypericaceae
- Mountain St. John's WortHypericum montanumHypericaceae
- PeterwortHypericum tetrapterumHypericaceae
- Aaron's beardHypericum calycinumHypericaceae
- Slender St John's-wortHypericum pulchrumHypericaceae
- Goat St John's wortHypericum hircinumHypericaceae
- Goldencup St. John's wortHypericum patulumHypericaceae
- Hypericum triquetrifoliumHypericaceae
- Great St. JohnswortHypericum ascyronHypericaceae
Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.