Hypericum

In my garden I have one small Hypericum plant. I'm not sure what type it is, mainly because it is a volunteer, not one I planted myself. It is in its second year now and still very small. Its growth is bound to be slow because it is in a position where the soil is very dry and which gets very little sunlight. Nevertheless, I like it, and since it is flowering now I thought I would take a few photos.

When you look closely, the complex bright yellow flowers are very beautiful.

Now look even closer, and you will see a little drama of the natural world in progress. An ant stalks an aphid...

I was looking on the internet at Hypericum varieties, and I saw that this plant is sometimes called "Rose of Sharon", but confusingly so are several other plants! I understand that in the USA the Rose of Sharon is a type of Hibiscus, very different to the Hypericum. How odd.

Extracts of this plant, Hypericum Perforatum, sometimes known as St.John's Wort, are used for several medical purposes, notably the treatment of Depression, but it also has some unwelcome properties - apparently it is listed as a noxious weed in more than twenty countries, as it is very invasive. I shall therefore be keeping a close eye on this univited guest!