Hypericum Berry: The Florist's Guide to Those Glossy Berries
Hipericum berry is a common spelling of hypericum berry, the small glossy fruit of ornamental St John's wort, a shrub grown specially for florists. The berries come in red, pink, peach, green, cream, burgundy and almost black, sit in clusters on firm stems with neat green leaves, and are used in bouquets for texture, colour and longevity rather than for scent. They are decorative only and not meant to be eaten.
In our Saint Petersburg shops hypericum is one of the most asked-about bouquet ingredients. Customers point at the berries and ask what they are, whether they are safe at home with a cat, how long they last and why some bouquets have them and others do not. Below we answer those questions the way we do at the counter.
What hypericum actually is
Hypericum is a large genus of shrubs and herbs; the wild meadow plant known as St John's wort, zveroboy in Russian, belongs to it. The berries in bouquets come from ornamental shrub forms and hybrids bred for long straight stems and large shiny fruit. The plant flowers with yellow, five-petalled blossoms in summer, and the berries are what remains once the flowers fade, technically small capsules rather than true berries.
Growers harvest the stems when the berries are fully coloured but still firm. Because the berry is a fruit rather than a petal, it does not drop or open further in the vase, which is exactly why florists like it. A stem holds several clusters, so even two or three stems add visible texture to a bouquet.
The name is often misspelled as hipericum, hyperikum or hypericum berries and you may also see it labelled as St John's wort berry on some price lists. All of these refer to the same florist plant.
Colours and how florists use them
Red hypericum is the classic choice for winter and New Year bouquets, where it reads like holly berries next to roses, pine and eucalyptus. Pink and peach berries soften spring and pastel arrangements and pair well with eustoma, spray roses and ranunculus. Green berries are the most versatile and add freshness to white bouquets, including wedding and corporate arrangements.
Cream and white varieties suit minimal, monochrome designs, while burgundy and dark brown berries give depth to autumn bouquets with dahlias, chrysanthemums and ornamental grasses. We often match the berry to the darkest or warmest tone in the bouquet so that it links the colours together instead of competing with the main flowers.
Hypericum also earns its place structurally. The stiff stems help hold softer flowers upright in hand-tied bouquets, and the clusters fill small gaps that would otherwise need extra greenery. In a box or basket arrangement the berries stay visible from every side, which is why many of the bouquets in our catalogue use them.
Bouquets we can deliver
Vase life and care at home
Hypericum is one of the longest-lasting items in a mixed bouquet. With basic care the berries stay firm and glossy for two weeks and often longer, and they regularly outlast the roses or chrysanthemums they arrived with. Our separate guide on hypericum berry vase life goes into the details stage by stage.
Care is simple. Cut the stems at an angle with a sharp knife before the first drink, remove any leaves that would sit under the waterline, and use a clean vase with cool water, changing it every two days. Hypericum stems are woody, so a fresh cut every few days helps them keep drinking. Keep the vase away from radiators, direct sun and fruit bowls, which release ethylene and speed up ageing.
The leaves usually age before the berries. If they yellow, curl or show small rusty spots, strip them off; the bare clusters still look good and you can lift them into a fresh small vase when the rest of the bouquet is finished. Shrivelled or soft berries can be pinched off individually without removing the whole stem.
Is hypericum safe with children and pets
Customers with cats and small children ask this more often than anything else. Hypericum berries are not edible and plants of the St John's wort genus contain compounds that can upset the stomach and, in animals, cause sensitivity to sunlight if eaten in quantity. A curious nibble is rarely serious, but the sensible approach is to treat the berries like any decorative fruit and keep the bouquet out of reach.
In practice this means placing the vase on a shelf or table cats do not use, and picking up any berries that fall during trimming. If you are sending flowers to a family with a toddler or a pet that chews plants, call us before ordering and choose a bouquet without berries from the catalogue.
If an animal or child has eaten a noticeable amount, call a vet or doctor for advice rather than waiting for symptoms. The same caution applies to many common bouquet ingredients, from lilies for cats to ivy and some ornamental grasses.
Meaning and symbolism
The name comes from Greek and is usually explained as 'above an image', a reference to the old custom of hanging the plant over icons and doorways to ward off evil around St John's Day in midsummer. In European folk tradition the plant was a protective charm, and in Russia zveroboy has long been known as a meadow herb gathered in summer.
In modern floristry the berries carry no strict message of their own, unlike red roses or white lilies. Florists read them as abundance, warmth and protection, which makes them a good fit for housewarming bouquets, New Year arrangements and gifts for parents and grandparents. They are equally appropriate for colleagues because they add character without any romantic overtone.
Remember the Russian rule on numbers when you choose stems for a gift: a bouquet for a happy occasion has an odd number of flowers. Berry stems used as accents are not counted, so a bouquet of seven roses with hypericum is still seven.
Ordering a bouquet with hypericum in Russia
Pyat Tsvetov has worked in Saint Petersburg since 2011 and has three of its own shops in the city, on Ilyushina Street, on the Obvodny Canal Embankment and on Srednerogatskaya Street. In Saint Petersburg we deliver around the clock, and we also deliver flowers across Russia. City delivery costs 500 RUB; for remote districts and suburbs the operator confirms the price when confirming the order.
In large cities express delivery arrives one to two hours after the order is confirmed, or you can set an exact time within plus or minus thirty minutes, a window of 09-12, 12-15, 15-18 or 18-21, or order from one to thirty days ahead. Delivery is anonymous by default, and a card with your text is free. The courier calls the recipient about fifteen minutes before arrival, and if nobody is in we agree a second delivery the same day or, with your consent, leave the bouquet with a neighbour or concierge.
Payment is online by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay, and foreign bank cards are accepted through Robokassa, so you can pay from abroad without converting money first. See the delivery and payment page for details, and call 8 (812) 507-67-05 if you have questions about a bouquet before ordering.
Frequently asked questions
What is a hipericum berry?
It is the common misspelling of hypericum berry, the glossy fruit of ornamental St John's wort. Florists use it in bouquets for colour, texture and long vase life.
How long do hypericum berries last in a vase?
Usually two weeks or more with clean water and a fresh cut every few days. The leaves tend to age first and can simply be removed.
Are hypericum berries poisonous?
They are not edible and can upset the stomach of people and pets if eaten. Keep bouquets with berries out of reach of children and animals.
What colours do hypericum berries come in?
Red, pink, peach, green, cream, burgundy and dark brown or almost black. Red is most popular in winter, pastels in spring.
What if the recipient has small children or pets?
Choose a bouquet without berries, or keep the vase out of reach. If you are unsure which bouquet to pick, call us on 8 (812) 507-67-05.
Ready to send a bouquet?
Pick a city, choose the flowers, and we will hand them over with a photo confirmation.
Choose a city →