Solomon's Seal
Polygonatum biflorum
Family Asparagaceae
Solomon's seal is shade's answer to a strung instrument — long arching stems hung with paired ivory bells in spring, swaying at every touch of wind. Bumblebees and even hummingbirds visit, and the fall encore is quietly lovely: blue berries for the birds against foliage turned clear gold.
It builds a graceful, long-lived colony in woodland shade, ignored by deer and improved by time; the variegated form lights up the darkest corners. This is a plant for the long game, best admired rather than nibbled. Set it along a shaded path where the arch can be seen sideways.
Part Shade to Full Shade
Moderate water
Slow-Moderate growth
Deer-resistant
Native to North America
Attracts hummingbirds
Attracts bees
From the print shop
Growing solomon's seal? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries solomon's seal — Polygonatum biflorum, print Nº 439, “Solomon's Seal.”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it fruit where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what solomon's seal actually needs.
Hardy inZones 3-8Solomon's Seal · Common problems
Common solomon's seal problems
Pests
1 problem on file
- Almost none
Diseases
1 problem on file
- Almost none
Solomon's Seal · Growing & propagation
Growing solomon's seal
- Light
- Part Shade to Full Shade
- Water
- Moderate
Woodland moisture
Soil- Rich, moist, humusy · pH 5.5 - 7.0
Fertilizer- Leaf mold
Pruning- Cut back after frost
An elegant native for the shade garden — gracefully arching stems hung with pairs of little greenish-white bells in spring (bumblebees and hummingbirds visit), followed by blue-black berries for birds, and clear-gold fall color. Long-lived and slowly spreading into a serene colony. The young shoots were traditionally cooked like asparagus. The variegated form lights up dark corners. Deer-resistant.
Spacing- 18-24 in
How to plant & propagate solomon's seal
- Propagate
- Division or seed
Solomon's Seal · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Solomon's Seal · Yearly calendar
The solomon's seal year, month by month
Jan
No calendar activity is listed for this month.
BloomBloomMay
What each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Solomon's Seal · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Polygonatum biflorum
Solomon's Seal in the garden system
- Herbaceous layer perennial
Attracts- Hummingbirds, Bees
Habitat- Woodland
- Moisture
- Facultative / average
- Deer
- Resistant
A safer unfenced choice
- Origin
- Native to North America
What solomon's seal is grown for
! Some parts toxic — see notesBerries mildly toxic raw; young cooked shoots historically edible — grow primarily as an ornamental
Use- Arching shade elegance
- Use
- Woodland native
- Use
- Deer-resistant
Harvesting & storing solomon's seal
Blue-black berries feed birds; young shoots historically eaten (asparagus-like, cooked).
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Solomon's Seal · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a solomon's seal variety
Species; variegated P. odoratum 'Variegatum' (the garden favorite)
Sources & plant identity
Know what you’re growing.
See where the knowledge comes from.
Solomon's Seal
Polygonatum biflorum
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Polygonatum biflorum
- Plant family
- Asparagaceae
- Growth habit
- Perennial
- Origin
- Native to North America
- USDA plant symbol
- POBI2
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
Questions
Solomon's Seal questions, answered straight.
Do deer eat solomon's seal?
Rarely — solomon's seal is considered deer-resistant, which makes it one of the safer unfenced choices in deer country. Hungry deer in a hard winter test every rule, but it's a low-risk pick.
Is solomon's seal safe for kids and pets?
With care. Berries mildly toxic raw; young cooked shoots historically edible — grow primarily as an ornamental Site it accordingly if children or pets roam the garden. This is general reference, not medical or veterinary advice — call a vet or poison control if something has actually been eaten.
When do you harvest solomon's seal?
Blue-black berries feed birds; young shoots historically eaten (asparagus-like, cooked).
How do you propagate solomon's seal?
Division or seed.
Elsewhere
Where solomon's seal sits in the library.
Common Milkweed
Ironweed
Cup Plant
Helen's Flower (Sneezeweed)