Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum biflorum)

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Herb/Forb
Life cycle:	Perennial
Sun Requirements:	Partial Shade to Full Shade
Water Preferences:	Mesic
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 3 -40 °C (-40 °F) to -37.2 °C (-35)
Maximum recommended zone:	Zone 8b
Plant Height:	1 to 7 feet (30cm to 2.1m)
Plant Spread:	1 to 4 feet (30cm to 1.2m)
Leaves:	Good fall color
Fruit:	Showy
Flowers:	Showy
Flower Color:	White
Bloom Size:	Under 1"
Flower Time:	Spring
Underground structures:	Rhizome
Uses:	Erosion control Vegetable Will Naturalize
Eating Methods:	Raw Cooked
Toxicity:	Leaves are poisonous Roots are poisonous Fruit is poisonous Other: As with asparagus, young shoots are edible, but mature shoots and leaves are poisonous.
Propagation: Seeds:	Self fertile Sow in situ
Propagation: Other methods:	Division
Pollinators:	Self Bees

Common names

Solomon's Seal
Smooth Solomon's seal
Small Solomon's Seal
Conquer John
Sealwort
Great Solomon's Seal
Giant Solomon's Seal

Botanical names

Accepted: Polygonatum biflorum
Synonym: Polygonatum commutatum
Synonym: Polygonatum cobrense
Synonym: Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum
Synonym: Polygonatum giganteum
Synonym: Polygonatum biflorum var. giganteum

Photo Gallery

Location: Millinocket, Maine
Date: 2024-05-26

Uploaded by TheMainer

Location: Millinocket, Maine
Date: 2022-06-04
Solomon Seal in elevated bed making it easier to see the flowers

Uploaded by TheMainer

Location: Philadelphia Flower Show in Pennsylvania
Date: 2014-03-06
a plant in an exhibit in bloom

Uploaded by ILPARW

Uploaded by Patty

Location: Tawas Michigan under the Pines

Uploaded by Elfenqueen

Uploaded by Elfenqueen

Location: South Jordan, Utah, United States
Date: 2021-06-08

Uploaded by BlueOddish

Location: Tyler Arboretum near Media, Pennsylvania
Date: 2016-08-07
fruit turning black from green

Uploaded by ILPARW

Location: Toledo Botanical Gardens, Toledo, Ohio
Date: 2012-06-27
Berries, still green. They ripen to a blue-black color in late s

Uploaded by arctangent

Location: Ontario, Canada Zone 5a
Date: 2008-05-13

Uploaded by threegardeners

Uploaded by Char

Uploaded by pinkiris

Location: Indian Cave State Park in Nebraska
Date: 2012-05-16

Uploaded by KentPfeiffer

Uploaded by lauribob

Location: Villa Nova, Pennsylvania
Date: 2015-05-16
plants with bloom

Uploaded by ILPARW

Location: Tyler Arboretum near Media, Pennsylvania
Date: 2016-08-07
labeled plants

Uploaded by ILPARW

Uploaded by Patty

Uploaded by vic

Uploaded by Char

Location: Manitoba, Canada
Date: 2016-06-02

Uploaded by DebbieC

Location: San-Lee Park, Sanford, NC (Hillside slopes)
Date: April 25, 2024
Solomon's seal # 571; RAB page 296, 41-10-2; LHB page, 212,33-

Uploaded by WebTucker

Location: Hosta Hillside, Hidden Lake Gardens, Michigan
Date: 2015-05-14
Polygonatum biflorum - a May time bloomer where I live

Uploaded by arctangent

Uploaded by Lucichar

Location: Ontario, Canada Zone 5a
Date: 2008-05-24
laying on my back looking up at the blooms

Uploaded by threegardeners

Uploaded by Char

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2018-05-08

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Lucketts, Loudoun County, Virginia
Date: 2013-05-29

Uploaded by greenthumb99

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2011-09-13
a blue berry

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by WebTucker

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2014-05-13

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Ontario, Canada Zone 5a
Date: 2011-05-17
blooms with the tulips

Uploaded by threegardeners

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2011-05-28

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 5-28-11

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by dryad

Photo Courtesy of Lazy S'S Farm Nursery.

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Joy

Photo Courtesy of Prairie Nursery. Used with Permission

Uploaded by Joy

Photo Courtesy of Busse Gardens. Used with permission.

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by plantcollector

This plant is tagged in:

Comments:

Posted by ILPARW (southeast Pennsylvania - Zone 6b) on Jan 28, 2019 10:21 AM concerning plant:

Someone gave me a few clumps from their yard. I grew these Small Solomon's-Seal along the chain link fence along the sidewalk under the large, old American Linden tree on the north side of the small side yard that I had at my second house in the west suburbs of Chicago in the 1990's. It did well and did not invade the tiny lawn right south of it and made a nice, easy, informal, arching perennial. Unfortunately, the next owners of the house killed off every tree, shrub, or perennial I ever planted on the small property; some people don't like gardening.

Reply to this comment
Posted by SongofJoy (Clarksville, TN - Zone 6b) on Jan 15, 2012 6:25 AM concerning plant:

Solomon's Seal is a common wildflower of moist eastern woods. Its arching stems with paired leaves are held parallel to the ground, and the flowers are bell-shaped, white, and pendant. The mature stems can arch up to 6 feet in height although 3 feet is more likely. Plants spread slowly and increase by means of knotty rhizomes(Polygonatum comes from poly-gonu meaning many knee joints). A mature clump can be quite handsome. Use this plant where you can appreciate the pretty flowers and blue berries and where its bold architectural qualities are needed. Flowering is in late spring, fruiting is in late summer, and plants turn brownish-yellow before disappearing for winter.

Reply to this comment
Posted by jmorth (central Illinois) on Oct 25, 2011 6:03 PM concerning plant:

Boiled young shoots are said to taste like asparagus; the starchy rootstocks as a potato substitute.

Reply to this comment
Posted by ILPARW (southeast Pennsylvania - Zone 6b) on Jan 28, 2019 10:10 AM concerning plant:

This is a larger plant with larger, coarser leaves than the more common Small Solomon's-Seal. It ranges from 2 to 8 feet high, but is usually over 4 feet high. It grows in rich woods, riverbanks, and thickets from southern Manitoba into New England then south into the upper South. Flowers and fruit are in clusters of 2 to 10. It makes a nice informal perennial in shady to partly shady places. It spreads by thick, white underground rhizomes. It is sold by some native plant nurseries.

Reply to this comment
Posted by threegardeners (Brockville, Ontario, Canada - Zone 5a) on Oct 26, 2011 3:37 PM concerning plant:

This plant can be found growing in the wild in moist woodland areas. It likes moist, cool, air.
Great Solomon's Seal is endangered in some US States.

The ground up rhizomes (root) of this plant are still used by herbalists to help heal fresh wounds and bruises.

Berries and seed are poisonous.

Reply to this comment

Plant Events from our members
aspenhill	On April 15, 2019	Obtained plant Black Creek Greenhouse - qty 3
MrsBinWY	On April 1, 2022	Seeds sown On 4-1-2022, soaked 16 seeds from SameOldBrandNew's 2021G overnight in warm water w/some H2O2, then WS in milk jug.
SuperHappyCamper	On March 3, 2025	Obtained plant Purchased from Lady Slipper Nursery
WebTucker	On April 25, 2024	Bloomed

» Post your own event for this plant

Discussion Threads about this plant

Thread Title	Last Reply	Replies
Solomon Seal by TheMainer	Nov 26, 2022 5:02 PM	0

« Add a new plant to the database

« The Plants Database Front Page

Polygonatum Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum biflorum)

Polygonatum
Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum biflorum)