Repotting guide

When & how to repot Olympic St. John's Wort (Hypericum olympicum)

Also called Olympic St. John's Wort, Mount Olympus St. John's Wort.

More about olympic st. john's wort

About Olympic St. John's Wort

Hypericum olympicum · also called Olympic St. John's Wort, Mount Olympus St. John's Wort · flowering

A compact, drought-tolerant dwarf subshrub native to rocky limestone slopes on Mount Olympus and throughout the Balkans. Produces a spectacular summer display of large, bright yellow flowers up to 5 cm across from June to August. Exceptional for rock gardens, dry walls, gravel beds, and sunny alpine troughs.

Mature size: 20–30 cm tall, 25–35 cm spread

Watch for — Root rot in wet winter soil: The most common failure in UK and Pacific Northwest gardens. Excellent drainage is essential year-round but especially in winter. Plant on a slope, in a raised bed, or in a container that can be moved under cover during prolonged wet, cold spells.

How to tell olympic st. john's wort needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For olympic st. john's wort, watch for these signs:

Roots growing out of the drainage holes, or the rootball lifting the plant proud of the rim.
Soil that has shrunk away from the pot sides and no longer holds water.
The pot is unstable because the plant has grown top-heavy.
Old, compacted, broken-down mix that stays wet too long — for a succulent that is a rot risk, so refresh it even if the pot size is fine.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot olympic st. john's wort

Every 2–3 years, into bone-dry mix. Olympic St. John's Wort's growth habit — deciduous dwarf subshrub; erect to spreading habit with grey-green, oval to elliptic leaves; woody at the base with herbaceous annual growth; forms a neat compact mound — sets the pace. A compact, drought-tolerant dwarf subshrub native to rocky limestone slopes on Mount Olympus and throughout the Balkans. Produces a spectacular summer display of large, bright yellow flowers up to 5 cm across from June to August. Exceptional for rock gardens, dry walls, gravel beds, and sunny alpine troughs.

What size pot to step olympic st. john's wort up to

Use a pot only one size up — or even the same pot with fresh gritty mix if the roots have room. Olympic St. John's Wort stores water and rots in a large pot of slow-drying soil. A tight terracotta pot that dries fast is far safer than a generous plastic one. Never up-pot a succulent by several sizes.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot olympic st. john's wort

Spring or summer, while olympic st. john's wort is in active growth and warm, is best — roots recover fastest then, and the plant is not sitting in cool damp soil. Avoid repotting a succulent in winter dormancy.

Step-by-step: repotting olympic st. john's wort

Repot dry. Do not water olympic st. john's wort for several days first. Working with dry roots and dry mix dramatically lowers the rot risk for a succulent.
Pick a snug, fast-draining pot. Choose terracotta one size up at most, with a drainage hole. Have gritty sharply drained, gritty or sandy loam, ph 6.0–7.5 ready.
Tip it out and clean the roots. Slide the plant out, crumble off the old soil, and trim any black, mushy or dead roots with clean snips.
Pot into dry mix. Set olympic st. john's wort at its original depth in dry gritty mix, firming gently. Do not bury the stem deeper than it was.
Wait a week before watering. Leave it completely dry and out of harsh sun for about 7 days so any damaged roots callus. Only then water lightly.

Aftercare

Keep olympic st. john's wort completely dry and out of fierce sun for about a week so any nicked roots callus before they meet moisture; watering a freshly repotted succulent is the classic way to rot it. Then resume the normal lean, dry rhythm. Do not fertilise for about 3 weeks — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for olympic st. john's wort

Olympic St. John's Wort wants sharply drained, gritty or sandy loam, ph 6.0–7.5. Thrives in poor to moderately fertile, fast-draining rocky or gritty soil. Excellent in scree mixes (50% grit: 50% loam) or raised beds. Tolerates acidic to slightly alkaline pH. Rich, moist soils cause lax, floppy growth and susceptibility to root rot — especially in wet winters. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting olympic st. john's wort — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot olympic st. john's wort?

Every 2–3 years, into bone-dry mix for olympic st. john's wort. Repot olympic st. john's wort every 2–3 years into a snug pot of sharply drained, gritty or sandy loam, ph 6.0–7.5, ideally in spring or summer. Let it sit in dry soil and do not water for about a week afterwards so any nicked roots can callus. Over-potting and watering straight away is what rots succulents.

What size pot does olympic st. john's wort need?

When is the best time of year to repot olympic st. john's wort?

Should you water olympic st. john's wort after repotting?

No — not straight away. Repot olympic st. john's wort into dry mix and wait about a week before the first watering so any damaged roots callus over. Watering a freshly repotted succulent is the single most common way to rot one.

Should you fertilise olympic st. john's wort after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 3 weeks after repotting olympic st. john's wort. Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.