I have a soft spot for Solomon’s seal. I love the way it arches, the coolness of the leaves, the flowers, and the berries. They bloomed well this year, and two of the species I have set fruit very well.
In late May, false Solomon’s seal, Maianthemum racemosum, develops a cluster of starry flowers at the end of their very graceful arcs…
…which turn into clusters of berries with very interesting coloration that pull the arched stems to the ground. The berries are green with tiny translucent red speckles all over them.
Solomon’s seal, Polygonatum latifolium ‘Heronswood,’ has a different floral setup. A pair of flowers hang from each node in the stem, connected by a single peduncle—the flower stalk—to the pair of little flower stems—pedicels. Talk about jargon! They are connected to the stem by delicate little flower stalks.
These completely different flowers lead to completely different fruit.
Other Posts About Solomon’s Seals
- Solomon’s seal ‘Heronswood’ will not go dormant until November—a photograph.
- Solomon’s seal is much easier to divide than I had imagined before I did so.
- They have survived chipmunk mischief and human intervention.
- Solomon’s Seal, True and False, shows the Solomon’s seals that live here.