On Sat, 26 Jun 2004 14:26:30 +0100, Kay
wrote:

We have a large shrub (about 6 ft high) with large (3 inch) bright
yellow blooms. The flowers cluster in threes, but open at different
times. They each have 5 rounded petals, with a conical tube-like
stamen jutting out from a yellow hairy center. The shrub is just now
bursting with blossoms, but before it ever re-greened after winter, it
had a spell of flowers in late winter. No scent to the flowers, and
the shrub sends out runners along the bottom. Haven't been able to
identify it in the usual manner.

Hypericum? But that's too obvious an answer, so probably not.

Hypericum 'Hidcote' - I'll put money on it. As far as descriptions
go, this is an excellent one, precise and pretty accurate. Well done
to the OP - it shows good powers of observation. The "conical
tube-like stamen" is the stigma and style above the (superior) ovary,
which appears within the flower. The "hairy center" is the mass of
stamens.


Dave Poole
Torquay, Coastal South Devon UK
Winter min -2°C. Summer max 34°C.
Growing season: March - November
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