Donegal Wildlife Database - Plants - Guttiferae - Hypericum
Hypericum androsaemum - Tutsan
Tutsan is one of the most attractive shrubby species in the area. The yellow flowers, yellow then red then black berries provide interest and colour all year round. Tutsan gets its common name from the French 'toute saine', meaning heal all, and certainly there is substantial folk history of the leaves being used to heal wounds. The entire Hypercum family has strong healing associations, from 'removing ghosts' through calming nervous disorders to astringent and antiseptic uses. When freshly picked, the tongue-shaped leaves have little smell, but when dried for a few days they develop a strong aromatic odour. I always carry a few leaves to rub on a scratch or cut.
The yellow flowers are often framed by the red bracts around the flower buds.
These are the early berries, just changing from yellow to red.
Later, the berries are a shiny purple/black.
