Polygonatum's or Solomon seals are graceful shade pants that provide nice form and structure to the garden. These plants have rhizomes ( under ground stems) that give rise to long arching unbranched stems, they have nice clean, veined leaves with clusters of bell like greenish yellow to whitish yellow flowers hanging down from the stems at the leaf axis. In late summer and fall showy berries are produced that are blue to dark blue in color. I have some dried Solomon seal stems that are five years old that still have the blue berries on them.

The rhizomes of Solomon seals are white, long, thick and some what knobby, they usually grow about 2-4 inches under ground in a horizontal angel to the surface. Most Solomon seals grow in spreading colonies that are easy to dig up and divide.
Division should be done in early spring (or late summer) - just as the stems are emerging from the soil. It is important to find out which way the rhizome is growing - the larger the rhizome piece included with your new division the larger your new plant will be. The first year is usually a recovery year with shorter stems and no flower production. (For faster multiplication, roots can be broken into 2-3 inch segments and replanted 2 inches deep in a sand based soil .- most pieces will not grow stems until the next year) after division keep the new plants well watered but not wet.
For Nice large plants six inches or more of rhizome is recommended. If the clump is large - the rhizomes will be in a mat like jumbled cluster, dig up and wash off all the dirt with a power hose
then brake the rhizomes by hand and replant 2-4 inches deep and water in well.

There are over 60 species of Polygonatum growing native in North America, Europe, Asia, Japan and Siberia.
Most species are good sized plants but some are also small and great for the shady rock garden.

The Name poly-gonatum means = many-jointed, in reference to the knobby jointed rhizomes.

Solomon seals are grown for their nice architectural qualities having graceful unbranched stems that arch over the ground with pendulous flowers delicately dangling from their undersides.
The variegated forms are showy and many of the Solomon seals make great plants for cutting and even drying.

Were to grow:

Plants grow well in heavy shade but do best in bright shade to part sun in moist well draining soils with Sandy loam being ideal!
they grow best in a fertile soft organic soil that is moist but not wet.

Problems:

sometimes slugs, saw fly, deer.

Propagation:

Division in spring or fall. Seed is slow and may take two years to germinate. Remove seeds from pulpy fruit and plant out in the ground or into a pot- To germinate seeds need cold then warm and cold again. Slow growing from seed. First year of germination produces one leaf and the same with the second year. Five to seven years to flowering.

Polygonatum's are in the lily family LILIACEAE.

Poe-lig-oh-NAY-tum

P. biflorum = bye-FLOOR-um, "Solomon's seal" Plant are native to the USA from Connecticut to Nebraska, north to Ontario and south to Texas and Florida. Stemless alternate leaves on arching stems. Flowers greenish white and ½ inch long growing in pairs in spring followed by blue-black berries in late summer that are 75 mm wide. 1-3 feet tall, nice for the smaller garden area.
P. biflorum 'Dwarf Form' = In contrast to "normal" biflorum this is only 30-35 cm tall with full-sized paired flowers, creamy white flowers with greenish tips .
Zone 3-9.

P. cobrense    "Southwest Solomon's seal"

P. commutatum = kahm-you-TAH-tum, "Great Solomon's Seal". North America from New Hampshire to Manitoba to Mexico. 3-7 feet tall leaves 5-7 inches long. Large thick stems with 3-8 flowers clustered at the leaf axis on long peduncles (stems). The flowers are 3/4 inches long and greenish in color. A great plant with tall arching stems for shade and part shade, clumps with 5- 10 stems or plants solitary. The plant that I have grows to six feet. It has nice strong stems that come straight up from the ground to about three feet then begin a gentle arch. In the wild these plants are isolated single stems in habit but in cultivation grow into nice clumps. Slow growing and will take some afternoon sun. Does well in moist soils. Now lumped under P. bilorum, but to me, seems incorrect.

Zones (2)3-7(8)

P. falcatum = From Japan and Korea, Tiny 12 cm growths with almost round leaves and small solitary hanging greenish white flowers in the leaf axils. Spreading to make nice tight clumps in the peat garden. Zones 6?-8.

P. hirtum = From central Europe through Turkey to west Russia. Green tipped bell shaped flowers that are whitish green. 1-5 in number 3/4 inch long flowers per cluster on 3-4 foot stems. Stems have a some what zig-zag appearance. Black fruit 1/4 inches across. A shorter form than the species is usually grown. Grows fast and forms large groups. Zones ?5-8

P. humile = In china- Hebei, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Shanxi
Other Asian distribution Japan, Korea, Russia
Elevational range in China - 800-2200 m. Very short stocky growths of almost paired leaves over creeping rhizomes, a nice small species bearing small hanging white flowers with tiny green tips. Leaves are 2-3 inches long, with fine hairs on the veins under the leaves. Blue-black berries. An excellent pot subject but also good in a rock garden or the front of the border. Zones (4)5-8
A link to a German nursery with a picture. Here

P. hookeri = Provincial distribution in china
Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan
Other Asian distribution India
Elevational range in China - 3200-4300 m. Stems only 10 cm tall( 4-5 inches) with soft pink flowers at the top, a personal favorite and a little gem. A slowly spreading upright small leaved species. Leaves are ½ inches long, hairless. Flowers are produced singly from leave axis and are pale pink to pink in color. Flowers are tube shaped and 2/3 inch across with a spreading mouth. Black fruit. Plants will grow into clumps up to 15 inches wide.
Good in the peat garden & does well in a sink. Zones ?6-9

P. x hybridum = P. multiflorum x P. odoratum, 8 inch leaves held horizontal on gently arching stems. Stems with out hairs. Creamy green tipped flowers are constricted in the middle and are 3/4 inch long. Four flowers per cluster as a rule, Some plants produce blue-black others are sterile. 3/8 inch wide fruit. 3-5 feet tall. Zone ?6-9.
FORM ‘striatum' syn. ‘Variegatum' = leaves striped creamy white.
This group of plants is very confused in the trade with many going under P. multiflorum.

P. x hybridum 'Betberg' - Said to be a  rare form from Betberg, Germany,  The new stems and foliage in the spring are heavily stained with red/purple, before fully expanding to form large stems that have a arching habit. The pleated leaves may still have a slight flush of color to them into summer.

P. x hybridum 'Weihenstephan '

P. latifolium = syn P. hirtum
 

P. multiflorum = "mull-TEE-FLOOR-um" "Eur-Asian Solomon's seal"? Europe through out temperate Asia. Arching hairless stems to three feet with 2-6 inch leaves. 2-6 (3-5) pendent flowers are whitish and green tipped. 1/4 inch black fruit. Leaves spread out from the stem on a horizontal plain. May-June. Zones 4-7(8).
Here is a link to a site in Scandinavia. Here
FORM ‘Flora Pleno' = with double flowers.
FORM ‘Striatum' = with creamy white striped foliage.
These plants are confused in the trade with P. x hybridum

Anhui, Gansu, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei
Mongol, Qinghai, Shandong , Shanxi, Taiwan
Elevational range in China - 500-3000 m. Growing also in Europe, Mediterranean, Russia and Siberia. This plant likes to grow in gravely and sandy soil in open woods or along the edges of woods. A spreading, arching plant with angled stems that are 2-3 feet tall. Leaves 4-6 inches long. Flowers are 1 inch long, whitish, growing singly or in pairs.
Here is a link to a site in Scandinavia. Here
VARIETY thunbergii - from Japan is shorter. I believe this makes up most of the plants in the USA including the forms below. 15-24 inches tall.
FORM Variegatum = The most commonly grown form-with nice broad oval leaves striped creamy-white. Leaf tips and edges variegated the most. For me this plant produces bright glowing yellow leaves in the fall and when cut. In the spring the stems have a nice pinkish-red color with white edges as they come out of the ground.
In five years I have not had one fruit-so appears to be self incompatible and does not cross with the few species I have and it mught be concluded that it is a hybrid of some sort.  Zones 3-9.
FORM ‘Flora Plena = with double flowers that are more green in color.
FORM ‘Gilt Edge' = leaves with narrow yellowish margins.
FORM ‘Grace Baker' = 40 inches tall with creamy-white striped leaves.

P. roseum = Provincial distribution Xinjiang and Russia
Elevational range in China - 1400-1900 m a great Plant but not available. Pink flowers. RED fruit.
 

P. stewartianum = "Whorled Solomon's Seal" from Europe through temperate Asia. Grows 10- 30 inches tall with whorled leaves and 1-3 hanging purple-pink flowers. Red fruit that is spotted.
Zones 6-8.

P. 'Langthorns Variegated' - Plants have variable yellow striated leaves, with small yellowish white flowers.

Other information:

Plants of Disporopsis are very similar. Solomon seals are some times confused with Smilacina and Stretopus (Twisted-Stalks)

The berries are mildly poisonous and maybe also the stems and leaves.

Symptoms of poising include Vomiting and diarrhea.

Edibility
EDIBLE PARTS: Young shoots can be boiled for 10
minutes and served like asparagus. Whole shoots can be cut
up and put into salads. The rootstocks can be added to stew
or boiled for 20 minutes and eaten like potatoes. SOURCE:
Peterson, L. 1978. A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants.
Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, 330 pp.

Toxic chemical = Anthraquinone. Severity of poisoning CAUSES ONLY LOW TOXICITY IF EATEN.

LANDSCAPE USES:

Plant the larger types in with Hosta and Epimediums Plants are nice arching over rocks and on slopes and banks.
Smaller species are nice for the rock garden or in the front of the border.

Here is a list of Solomon seals native to china, hopefully they will all be available soon in the states.

P. acuminatifolium Kom., 1916 -
P. altelobatum Hayata, 1915
P. alternicirrhosum Hand.-Mazz., 1936
P. arisanense Hayata, 1920
P. cathcartii Baker, 1875
P. cirrhifolium (Wall.) Royle, 1839
P. curvistylum Hua, 1892
P. cyrtonema Hua, 1892
P. desoulavyi Kom. in Kom. & Alisova, 1931
P. filipes Merr.ex C.Jeffrey & J.McEwan, 1980
P. franchetii Hua, 1892
P. gracile P.Y. Li, 1966
P. graminifolium - From the  Himalayan mountians, plants grow 5 to 8 inches tall.
P. hirtellum Hand.-Mazz., 1936
P. hookeri Baker, 1875
P. humile Fisch. ex Maxim., 1859
P. inflatum Kom., 1901
P. involucratum (Franch. & Sav.) Maxim., 1883
P. kingianum Coll. & Hemsl., 1890
P. macropodium Turcz., 1832
P. megaphyllum P.Y. Li, 1966
P. nodosum Hua, 1892
P. odoratum (Mill.) Druce, 1906
P. oppositifolium (Wall.) Royle, 1839
P. prattii Baker, 1894
P. punctatum Royle ex Kunth, 1850
P. roseum (Ledeb.) Kunth, 1850
P. sibiricum Delaroche ex Redouté, 1812
P. stenophyllum Maxim., 1859
P. tessellatum F.T. Wang & Ts. Tang, 1936
P. verticillatum (L.) All., 1785
P. zanlanscianense Pamp., 1915
 

Here are some links one should look at for more information on this wonderful group of plants.

A commercial source for a number of the rarer types. They are located in Britain. Here . They also have some nice pictures.
Another commercial source in Britain.  Here   A wide selection and good pictures too.
 

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