# Scented Solomon's-Seal (*polygonatum odoratum*)

The Scented Solomon's-Seal has beautiful arching leaves and delicate white flowers that smell sweet! It's a wonderful plant to find in shady woods during springtime.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Shady forests and woodland areas.
- **Also known as:** Fragrant Solomon's Seal, Solomon's Seal, Sweet-scented Solomon's Seal

![Scented Solomon's-Seal](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Angular_solomons-seal_Polygonatum_odoratum.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Myrabella, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Angular_solomons-seal_Polygonatum_odoratum.jpg)

## Appearance

The Scented Solomon's-Seal has graceful, arching stems adorned with alternate oval leaves. Small, bell-shaped white or greenish-white flowers hang delicately in pairs or clusters beneath the leaves. In fall, its berries turn a deep blue-black.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Liliopsida
- **Order:** Asparagales
- **Family:** Asparagaceae
- **Genus:** Polygonatum

## Interesting facts

- Its blue-black berries are a tasty treat for birds, helping spread seeds far!
- Its scientific name 'odoratum' means 'fragrant' because of its sweet perfume.
- Root scars look like ancient wax seals, inspiring its name Solomon's-Seal!
- This perennial plant can live for many years in the same cool, shady spot!

## Special abilities

- **Underground Spreader:** Scented Solomon's-Seal has thick rhizomes that help it spread slowly underground to colonize new areas and store energy.
- **Sweet Scent Lure:** Scented Solomon's-Seal can release a strong, sweet fragrance to attract busy pollinators like bees to its hidden flowers.
- **Rainy Day Shield:** Scented Solomon's-Seal has downward-facing, pendulous flowers that protect its delicate pollen from rain and moisture.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-80 cm
- **Spread:** 30-60 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar from its flowers
- **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — visits its hanging bell flowers
- **Eats:** [Song Thrush](https://www.snappit.app/explore/song-thrush) (*Turdus philomelos*) — consumes its blue-black berries

## Traits

- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Scented Solomon's-Seal?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Scented Solomon's-Seal?

30-80 cm

### How wide does Scented Solomon's-Seal spread?

30-60 cm

### How big are the flowers on Scented Solomon's-Seal?

1-2 cm

### When does Scented Solomon's-Seal bloom?

Late spring to early summer

### Is Scented Solomon's-Seal edible?

No

### Is Scented Solomon's-Seal toxic?

Mild

### What is Scented Solomon's-Seal's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Zoo de la Palmyre](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/zoo-de-la-palmyre) — Nouvelle-Aquitaine, FR · Zoo
- [Wickford Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/wickford-park) — Virginia, US · Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Scented Solomon's-Seal: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/scented-solomons-seal)