Solomon's Seal
Polygonatum
Solomon's Seal blooms from May through May.
This entry comes from our curated library and has not yet been independently checked against outside sources. Curated is not unreliable: a standing audit keeps every entry internally consistent, and the source-by-source check is working through the whole library in the open.
Growing Solomon's Seal
Plant it in part shade. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 3–8. Expect it to reach about 2.3 ft tall and 1.6 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 3 years.
When to plant Solomon's Seal
Plant Solomon's Seal in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. For the middle of its hardy zones 3 to 8 range, spring means April to June and fall means August or September. Once settled, it blooms in May.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 5 in April.
Good to know about Solomon's Seal
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Safety
Berries and the raw rhizome are purgative if eaten, causing vomiting and diarrhea; NC State rates the fruit poison severity Low. Keep them from children and pets. per NC State
Worth knowing
The young spring shoots can be cooked and eaten like asparagus, yet the raw berries and rhizome are purgative; thorough boiling is what makes them safe. per NC State and Frontiers in Pharmacology
Sawfly is a regional pest
In the UK and Europe the Solomon's seal sawfly can strip the plant bare; scout leaf undersides May to July. US gardeners rate it essentially pest-free. per RHS and NC State
Native depends on the species
American Solomon's seals (Polygonatum biflorum, commutatum, pubescens) are true North American natives, but the most popular garden form, variegated P. odoratum, is Old World, from Europe and Asia. per NC State
Spreads slowly into drifts
It creeps outward by underground rhizomes to form colonies, rather than staying a fixed clump. Divide the rhizomes in early spring or fall to propagate or contain it. per NC State
Tolerates deep shade
Unlike most part-shade plants, it grows all the way into deep shade with little or no direct sun, which makes it a staple of woodland and shade gardens. per NC State
Gold fall color
The foliage turns clear gold to yellow in autumn before the stems die back after frost, giving the plant a second season of interest. per Clemson
What pairs well with Solomon's Seal
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Hellebore
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in late winter, before this one opens; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Goatsbeard
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in early summer as this one finishes; taller at 3.9 ft, for the layer behind it; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Eastern Redbud
Takes part sun to part shade and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; both are native plants.
Spiderwort
Takes part sun to part shade and moderate water; blooms in early summer as this one finishes; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; both are native plants.
Climbing Hydrangea
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in early summer as this one finishes; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; a soft color beside the yellow.
Northern Sea Oats
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in midsummer, extending the bed's season; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; taller at 3.3 ft, for the layer behind it.
Serviceberry
Takes part sun to part shade and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; both are native plants.
Summersweet
Shares part shade and moderate to high water; blooms in midsummer, extending the bed's season; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; taller at 5.9 ft, for the layer behind it.
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