Attracts long-tongued and short-tongued bees, including bumblebees and Halictid bees, beetles and Syrphid flies. The flowers of this plant produce abundant pollen but no nectar. The caterpillars of Strymon melinus (Gray Hairstreak Butterfly) are reported to eat the seed capsules. The caterpillars of the Gray Half-Spot moth eat the foliage. Mammals usually don't consume this plant because the leaves contain the photosensitive toxin, hypericin. Fair and light-skinned animals are especially sensitive to this toxin that can cause the skin to blister in sunlight. It can also cause gastrointestinal irritation.

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