Common Solomon’s Seal

Naturalised in the wild in NE Ireland, and long cultivated in gardens, Polygonatum multiflorum is an elegant plant for a moist, shady border or woodland or bog garden. It’s a rhizomatous, deciduous perennial, whose long, arching stems carry strongly ribbed, green, ovate to lance-shaped leaves, which all turn the same way, upward and to one side. In April and May, charming little pendant clusters of white, green-tipped, bell-shaped flowers appear along the stems; these are followed by tiny black berries. The twisted, knotted, white rhizomes of common Solomon’s seal should not be disturbed; as the lower parts of the stems are bare and let light through, it is very good underplanted with shade-loving spring bulbs or perennials like ferns, hellebores, brunnera, cyclamen or wood anemones. Can eventually form a big clump where it’s suited.

Site: Sheltered
Soil: Tolerates any cool, moist soil, slightly acidic preferred; tolerates wet soil
Position: Dappled shade; tolerates full sun if roots are shaded
Season of interest: Mid-spring to early summer in particular
Hardiness: Very hardy
Height: up to 3’ (90cm) Spread: 2’ (60cm)