Dwarf St. John's Wort (Hypericum mutilum) vs. Northern St. John's Wort (Hypericum boreale)

These two small species are easily confused in their area of range overlap, which is larger in the east and narrower in the Midwest. They are easily distinguished at any stage of their lifecycle by examining the leaf undersides, bracts under each inflorescence, or the length of the sepals relative to the seed capsules. Once off the plant, their seeds are virtually indistinguishable. H. mutilum ranges much farther south and is also found in drier habitats, including meadows, fields, lawns, or gardens, whereas H. borealis ranges farther west in its native range, and is more restricted to wetlands.

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