Ornamental · Asparagaceae
Solomon's Seal
Polygonatum biflorum
Settle it into cool shade and rich, moist soil and Solomon's seal rewards you, arching back a little fuller every spring.
Full shade
Every 3–7 days
USDA 3–9
3–6 ft · 0.9–1.8 m
Overview
If a shady corner has left you stumped, take heart, because Solomon's seal was made for it. This gentle woodland perennial is grown for its graceful arching stems, not for a big flower show. Come spring, tip a stem upward and you will find small bell-shaped blooms hanging in pairs along its underside, quietly tucked beneath the leaves. Little by little it travels on a creeping rhizome, building a soft, sweeping colony in the shade.
This is the plant for places where nothing else seems content. It shrugs off hard winters across a wide sweep of zones and asks for little beyond shade and ground that stays moist and rich. Give it a season to settle, and it returns on its own each year, taller and fuller, without needing much from you at all. Mistakes here are easy to forgive, so relax.
By late summer the flowers turn into blue-black berries that look lovely but are not for the table. Some kitchens do cook the young shoots and eat them much like asparagus, yet the berries and the raw plant are best simply enjoyed with the eyes. Leave the fruit where it is and everyone stays happy.
Care
The short version: tuck it into part to full shade with rich, humusy soil, keep that soil evenly moist, and then step back and let it spread at its own gentle pace.
Light
Solomon's seal is a shade lover at heart. It settles happiest in part to full shade and will take a little morning or filtered sun, but a hot, bright spot leaves it looking thin and scorched, so give it cover.
Water
Aim to keep the soil evenly moist, much like the damp floor of a shaded wood. In a dry stretch a drink every 3 to 7 days keeps it content, and a bit more when the heat climbs. An established clump forgives the odd dry spell, though it always looks its best with steady moisture.
Soil
Plant it in rich, humusy, well-drained ground that you have loosened with plenty of organic matter. It stays relaxed about pH, taking anything from 5.5 to 7.0, so your real job is simply keeping the soil open and full of compost.
Temperature
You can trust this one through a hard winter. It is a cold-hardy perennial that handles cold down to -40°F (-40°C) and summer warmth up to around 86°F (30°C), with roots that sleep through deep freezes and send up fresh shoots when spring returns.
Humidity
No misting or numbers to chase here. Everyday outdoor air suits it well, and what it truly enjoys is the cool, moist air of a shaded bed rather than a hot, sun-struck corner.
Feeding
Feeding is light and forgiving. A balanced fertilizer in spring, or a comforting top-dressing of compost as the new shoots push up, is plenty, and in genuinely rich woodland soil it may sail along with no feeding at all.
Pruning
There is wonderfully little to do. Simply cut the yellowed stems back to the ground in late fall or once the first frost arrives, and otherwise let the plant carry on at its own slow pace.
Repotting
Think of Solomon's seal as a settled, long-term resident that rarely needs lifting. Only divide a clump when it grows crowded and starts to lose vigor, or when you notice the rhizomes nudging up toward the soil surface.
Size & spacing
In time a clump rises 3 to 6 feet (91 to 183 cm) tall and reaches 2 to 4 feet (61 to 122 cm) across. Give each one a little elbow room so it can arch out and form its colony without leaning on its neighbors.
When to plant
There is no rush and no fiddly seed-starting here. Set out divisions or young potted plants in spring or fall, while the soil is still cool and damp, then look forward to those dangling flowers arriving in April and May as fresh stems rise.
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Typical months for a temperate climate: start earlier in warm zones, later where spring frosts linger.
- Plant: spring or fall
- Harvest: April to May
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones: 3–9
Temperature: down to -40°C
Troubleshooting
Happily, Solomon's seal gives you very little to worry about. The couple of troubles that do turn up almost always trace back to where it is planted, so a quick look at the early signs tells you whether a pest is nibbling or the spot itself needs a tweak. Catch it early and you will be fine.
Sparse, stretched-out stems that look weak
When Solomon's seal grows thin and stretches upward, it is usually telling you it sits in too much sun or tired, dry soil. In a hot, open spot the leaves may scorch and yellow ahead of time. Move it into part to full shade, mulch and water to hold steady moisture, and work in some compost to refresh the worn ground, and it will fill back out.
Fix:
- Move or plant in part to full shade
- Mulch and water to keep soil evenly moist
- Amend soil with compost or organic matter
Leaves left with ragged, chewed holes
Those torn holes are almost always slugs and snails, which come out at night and adore the cool, damp shade this plant calls home. A few silvery slime trails will confirm the culprits. Head out after dark to pick them off, scatter some iron phosphate bait, and tidy away the leaf litter and lingering moisture that shelter them, and the plant recovers just fine.
Fix:
- Hand-pick slugs in the evening
- Use iron phosphate slug bait
- Reduce excess moisture and remove debris near plants
Toxicity
This is a low-risk plant, though not one to treat as completely harmless. Some cooks do simmer the young shoots and eat them, yet the blue-black berries and the raw plant hold saponins and anthraquinones that can unsettle the stomach. The berries are the part that matters most, so keep them out of reach of children, cats, dogs, and grazing animals.
Toxic to
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds · People
Cats Mild
A curious cat that mouths the leaves or swallows a berry might drool, be sick, or pass a loose stool. Solomon's seal isn't on the ASPCA toxic list and the danger stays small, but the berries are still the part worth keeping well out of paw's reach.
Dogs Mild
Most dogs that gnaw a leaf or snatch a dropped berry come away with just a queasy tummy and a short bout of diarrhea. It seldom becomes anything serious, though the saponins inside are a good reason not to let a curious pup make it a regular habit.
Horses Mild
Horses usually walk right past the bitter foliage, and a small nibble tends to pass with nothing more than a little gut upset. Just keep them clear of the berries, since that is where the real trouble gathers.
Rabbits Mild
A rabbit that tries the leaves or berries can wind up with a soft stool and an uneasy stomach. It is kindest to keep every part of this plant off the menu as forage.
Livestock Mild
Grazing animals tend to leave it be, and the bitter flavor keeps them from eating much. Even so, the saponins and anthraquinones can stir up mild digestive upset if a hungry animal works its way through a patch.
Birds Mild
Out in the wild, birds happily eat the ripe berries and carry the seed off to new ground, but a pet bird is far smaller and can take the same fruit badly. Keep cage birds well away from both the berries and the foliage.
People Caution
Only the young shoots are eaten, and only once they are cooked, the way some cuisines treat them rather like asparagus. The blue-black berries and the raw plant carry saponins and anthraquinones that bring on nausea and diarrhea, so leave the fruit be and keep it away from children.
Keep the ornamental berries away from pets and children; wash hands after handling.
Helpline numbers
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (fee applies)
Poison Control: (800) 222-1222
Canada
Poison Centres: 1-844-764-7669
Varieties
Most gardens grow the plain green species, and it is lovely as it is. Still, a few named forms are worth hunting down when you want a different size or a touch more color.
Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum
Giant or Great Solomon's seal is the big cousin, sending up sturdy arching stems of 3 to 7 feet tall that dangle up to 8 or more flowers at every leaf joint.
Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum Variegatum
This variegated form is grown mostly for its foliage, with soft green leaves neatly edged in white and fragrant flowers that earn it a happy home in the shade garden.
Polygonatum humile
Dwarf Solomon's seal is a modest Asian species that reaches only about 8 to 12 inches, a sweet fit for a small shade bed or the front edge of a border.
Companions
Solomon's seal belongs in the shade garden, beside the moisture-loving woodland plants that share its cool, dappled corner.
Plant near
Ferns: Share the same moist, shady woodland conditions and contrast in texture.
Hostas: Thrive in the same rich, shaded soil and complement the arching habit.
Astilbe: Enjoys similar moist shade and adds flower color beneath the foliage.
Wild ginger: A low woodland groundcover that pairs well in cool, dappled shade.
How to propagate
Making more Solomon's seal is genuinely easy and hard to get wrong. Split a clump for fast, sure results, or sow seed and enjoy the slower, patient route if you have the time to wait.
DivisionEasy
Spring or fall · 1 to 2 growing seasons
Division is the simple, reliable route to more plants. In spring or fall, lift a clump and gently break or cut the rhizome into sections, keeping a growth bud on each piece. The new divisions ease in and fill out over 1 to 2 growing seasons.
SeedModerate
Fall (sown fresh) for cold stratification · 2 to 3 years or more
Growing from seed rewards patience. Rinse the seed from ripe berries and sow it outdoors in fall so the cold of winter can break its dormancy. Even then, be ready to wait 2 to 3 years or more before the young plants really come into their own.
Myths
True Solomon's seal and False Solomon's seal are one and the same.
Not so. The two can pass for each other at a glance, yet they sit in different genera. True Solomon's seal (Polygonatum) dangles its paired, bell-shaped flowers under the arch of the stem, while False Solomon's seal (Maianthemum racemosum) gathers its flowers and berries into one plume right at the tip. Learn that single clue and you will never confuse them again.
The blue-black berries of Solomon's seal make a safe snack.
They do not. The berries are inedible and mildly toxic, carrying anthraquinone that brings on vomiting and diarrhea if anyone swallows them. Their pretty color makes them a temptation for little ones, so it is worth pointing them out clearly.