Mid-fall brings an end to most blooming flowers, with the exception of the hardiest asters and goldenrods. But it doesn’t bring an end to identification and study of these plants. Many herbaceous wildflowers retain identifiable aerial parts, such as distinctive seed heads, that allow reliable plant ID well past the last flowers. 

Marsh St. Johnswort (Hypericum virginicum) is no exception. Growing to approximately 2 feet tall, marsh St. Johnswort typically blooms in July and August. But due to persistent seed heads, its unique overall structure, and its propensity for wetland habitats, this plant can still be identified well after its through flowering. Unlike most of the St. Johnsworts, marsh St. Johnswort does not have the typical sunny yellow flowers. Instead, its flowers are a light orangey-pink. It does, however, share the basic structural characteristics of other St. Johnsworts: flowers with 5 regular petals, which grow in small clusters, either at the terminal end of the stalk or in the upper axils, and opposite, entire, egg-shaped leaves. The fruits are dry capsules and split open when dry to reveal a multitude of tiny seeds. 

As an obligate wetland plant, marsh St. Johnswort can be found in wet sandy areas, bogs or swamps. It is native to the central and eastern United States, but is most prevalent in New England.