Maianthemum racemosum

False Solomon's Seal is an unbranched, herbaceous perennial wildflower in the asparagus family and native to the piedmont, mountains, and coastal plain of North Carolina. In nature, this shade-loving plant can be found growing in deciduous forests throughout the region. The foliage will die to the ground each fall, to emerge in the spring from its rhizomes. The tiny, fragrant, creamy white flowers appear at the stem ends in spring followed by berries which turn ruby red in summer.

False Solomon's Seal does best in evenly moist, well-drained soils in part shade to full shade. It will tolerate sandy or rocky soil. It does not do well during hot, humid summers in the southern states. Caution should be taken when attempting to transplant as the roots don't take well to being disturbed, particularly when the plant has yet to become established.  This plant can form a large colony, however, it colonizes slowly by way of its thick rhizomes.

Its common name of False Solomon's Seal comes from the resemblance of its foliage to the foliage of true Solomon's Seal. False Solomon's Seal flowers appear at the end of the arching stems. The flowers on True Solomon Seal are droop from the leaf axils along the stem and are bell-shaped. Both False Solomon's Seal and true Solomon's Seal may be found growing in the same areas.  

Native Americans used the root and leaves in the production of medicinal tea.  They also ate the young shoots and processed roots

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  

No known diseases or insect pests.