Large Solomon's-seal Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Polygonatum canaliculatum
- Polygonatum commutatum
- Polygonatum giganteum
- Phonetic Spelling
- po-lig-oh-NAY-tum
- Description
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Giant Solomon's Seal is a native herbaceous perennial wildflower found in moist forested areas and roadbanks in the eastern U.S.A. and Canada. As its common name suggests, this is a large Soloman seal reaching heights of 3 to 5, occasionally 7 feet.
Plant it in medium to wet average soil in partial to full shade, though it does best with some sun. It has attractive large leaves and clusters of white bell-shaped flowers that hang down. It will spread in the landscape through its rhizomes, but it is very difficult to propagate by seed.
There is considerable controversery surrounding the taxonomy of great Solomon's seal including making it a variety of P. biflorum as we have here but some argue it should be its own species so the names P. commutatum, P. giganteum, and P. canaliculatum are used to varying degrees.
Use it in a rain, woodland or cottage garden, the back of a border, or let it naturalize in your yard. Just make sure it has plenty of room as this plant larger than other Solomon seals.
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: No serious problems.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Polygonatum
- Species:
- biflorum
- Family:
- Asparagaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- The rhizomes are quite starchy and were used by early Americans.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Maintenance:
- Low
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Blue
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Description:
- Blue-black inedible (to humans) berries are very showy and appear September-October and are blue-black in color.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- White
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Bell
- Flower Description:
- Clusters in leaf axils of 2-10 bell shaped greenish white flowers bloom May-June.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Flowers have distinct parallet veins and reach 7" long.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Cottage Garden
- Native Garden
- Rain Garden
- Shade Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
- Songbirds
- Specialized Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Erosion
- Wet Soil
