Tutsan, scientifically Hypericum androsaemum 'Golden Tutsan', is a deciduous shrub native to western Europe, southern Europe, North Africa, and Iran that brings both ornamental flowers and striking fruit to the garden. This small, spreading plant grows 24-36 inches tall and wide, thriving in zones 6 to 9 with remarkable shade tolerance, though it performs best in full sun to partial shade. The real draw is the combination of showy blooms from June through August followed by equally showy berries that persist through the season, all while requiring minimal maintenance and handling drought with ease.
Partial Sun
Moderate
6-9
36in H x 36in W
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Moderate
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Golden Tutsan's erect branches grow densely and spread gracefully to form a compact mound, clothed in foliage that supports abundant showy flowers and fruit simultaneously. Its performance across a range of light conditions, from full sun to partial shade, gives gardeners flexibility in placement, though flower production increases with adequate sunlight. The combination of low maintenance and drought tolerance makes this native species a practical choice for established landscapes, while its naturally self-seeding habit speaks to its vigor and resilience.
Tutsan serves as a hedge plant, where its compact mature size of 24-36 inches and spreading habit create a dense, low-growing boundary. The combination of showy summer flowers and persistent fruit makes it valued as much for visual interest as for structural function in the landscape.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Pruning guidance for tutsan should focus on managing its naturally spreading, erect branching habit. When top growth dies back in winter in colder zones, new shoots will emerge from surviving roots in spring, effectively renewing the plant. Light pruning to shape the shrub and remove any winter-damaged tips will maintain its dense, compact form and encourage vigorous growth.
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“Hypericum androsaemum has traveled from its native range across western and southern Europe through North Africa to Iran, finding its way into gardens and naturalized landscapes across the globe. The plant freely self-seeds in landscapes, establishing itself so readily in some regions that it's considered somewhat weedy in Europe and invasively weedy in Australia and New Zealand. Along the U.S. Pacific coast, it has naturalized but is not currently considered invasive, suggesting a balance between vigor and restraint that has allowed this species to persist in cultivation for generations.”