Species Hypericum oligandrum

Gk. hyper = above; eikon = a figure, icon, image. From the ancient practice of placing flowers above an image in the house to ward off evil spirits, celebrated at the midsummer festival of Walpurgisnacht, named after Saint Walpurga (c 710–777), which later became the feast of St John held in late June when they are in bloom, and thus took the name of St John’s wort.