Hypericum androsaemum
Sweet amber
(c) Jon Sullivan, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Hypericaceae · Type: Shrub · Not Native
Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes
Hypericum androsaemum (Sweet amber) is a non-native California shrub in the Hypericaceae family, recognized by deflexed sepals in very limited range.
Sweet amber is a naturalized shrub found in the Berkeley Hills in shaded woodland at an elevation of 180 meters. Flowering in June, this plant produces yellow flowers with 6 to 10 millimeter obovate petals in clusters of 1 to 11 per stem. Growing as an evergreen shrub 30 to 70 centimeters tall with many erect, branching stems, it forms a dense and compact shape. Its leaves are sessile, 4 to 12 centimeters long, ovate with rounded or obtuse tips and densely gland-dotted margins. The fruit is broadly elliptic, 7 to 12 millimeters long, containing small red-brown seeds approximately 1 millimeter in size.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 4 sympatric species; diagnostic deflexed sepals in very limited range
Habitat and range
Habitat: Shaded woodland
Elevation: 180 m
Outside California: to British Columbia, native to Europe, western Asia
Bloom period
Hypericum androsaemum blooms Jun.
Conservation status
Cal-IPC Yes
How to tell it apart
vs Euphorbia: Euphorbia has milky sap and tiny flowers in cups; Hypericum has clear sap and showy yellow flowers.; vs Lysimachia: Lysimachia has stamens separate, not bundled; Hypericum's stamens cluster into 3-5 distinct bunches.; vs Lonicera: Lonicera is a woody vine or shrub; Hypericum is herbaceous with opposite leaves.; vs Dendromecon: Dendromecon is a woody shrub with 4 petals; Hypericum is herbaceous with 5 petals.; vs Mentzelia: Mentzelia has rough, sandpapery leaves; Hypericum has smooth leaves with translucent dots.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hypericum androsaemum native to California?
No. Hypericum androsaemum is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Hypericum androsaemum bloom?
Hypericum androsaemum blooms Jun.
What plant family does Hypericum androsaemum belong to?
Hypericum androsaemum is in the Hypericaceae family, genus Hypericum.
Is Hypericum androsaemum invasive in California?
Hypericum androsaemum is listed by Cal-IPC with an invasiveness rating of Yes.
What habitat does Hypericum androsaemum grow in?
Hypericum androsaemum grows in Shaded woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.