# Solomon's-seal (*Polygonatum multiflorum*)

Solomon's-seal is a lovely plant with arching stems and bell-shaped flowers. It grows in shady places and is often found in forests. Its leaves look like little shields, making it special!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Forests

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

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

## Appearance

The Solomon's-seal has gracefully arching stems with oval, parallel-veined leaves arranged in two rows. Small, bell-shaped, greenish-white flowers dangle in pairs or clusters beneath the leaves. Its distinctive arching form and pendulous flowers make it stand out in shaded woodland.

## Taxonomy

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

## Interesting facts

- Its underground stem leaves mysterious scars, looking exactly like ancient wax seals!
- Some Solomon's-seal plants can live for 50 years or even longer in the wild!
- This plant was once crushed and used to heal bruises or even set broken bones!
- When its berries ripen, they transform from green to a deep, shiny blue-black!

## Special abilities

- **Underground Expansion:** Solomon's-seal can spread underground using rhizomes, allowing it to form colonies and quickly colonize new areas.
- **Nectar Lure:** Solomon's-seal has bell-shaped flowers that hide sweet nectar, attracting specific pollinators like long-tongued bees.
- **Berry Broadcast:** Solomon's-seal produces dark berries that birds eat, helping to disperse its seeds far and wide for new growth.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-90 cm
- **Spread:** 30-60 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late Spring - Early Summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and pollen from its bell-shaped flowers.
- **Eaten by:** Blackbird (*Turdus merula*) — Eats its ripe, dark berries, helping to spread seeds.
- **Eats:** [Roe Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/roe-deer) (*Capreolus capreolus*) — Browses on its young shoots and leaves in early spring.

## Traits

- [Bell-Shaped Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/bell-shaped-flower): Bell-shaped flowers possess petals fused or arranged to form a cup-like or campanulate structure resembling a bell.
- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.
- [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [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.

## Collections

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

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always ask an adult before touching or picking any plants.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify 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 Solomon's-seal?

30-90 cm

### How wide does Solomon's-seal spread?

30-60 cm

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

1-2 cm

### When does Solomon's-seal bloom?

Late Spring - Early Summer

### Is Solomon's-seal edible?

No

### Is Solomon's-seal toxic?

Mild

### What is Solomon's-seal's lifecycle?

Perennial

## 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*)

---

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