Shrubby St. John's Wort is a herbaceous, perennial, deciduous or evergreen flowering shrub with a compact, dense habit, dark green leaves, and yellow flowers.

In nature, it is often found in open woods, bogs, hedge banks and grassland, dry sunny places, and usually on calcareous soils.

Shrubby St. John's Wort will grow in a range of soils from sandy to clay and, while it prefers to stay moist, it will tolerate dry soils. The plant will grow in full sun or partial shade, but full sun will maximize blooms. It is a slow grower and will tolerate drought. It can spread, the root pattern is rhizomatous with underground stems sending roots and shoots along their length, but can be kept under control with spring pruning. This plant can be used in a ran garden.

Host plant for several butterfly and moth species , including the Gray Hairstreak butterfly and the Wavy-lined Emerald moth.