False Solomon Seal is a native you may find on a walk in the woods. This spring blooming native perennial is related to Solomon Seal and is found in almost all continental U.S. and Canada. False Solomon Seal usually grows deep in the moister areas of the woods and in ravines. However, my 2 small clumps just started growing last spring under the Oak tree in my backyard where it is dry and in part sun.
False Solomon Seal {Maianthemum racemosum, Smilacina racemosa, Vagnera racemosa} blooms April-May and attracts many pollinators. After the blooms fade the plant stays green with its graceful arching stems in the background all summer and then in late summer or early fall you may find bright red berries dangling from the ends of the plant waiting for small woodland mice or birds to eat them. False Solomon Seal is drought tolerant and adds some nice texture and contrast in your shade garden especially under trees and in dry shade.False Solomon Seal is very similar and sometimes hard to distinguish from Solomon Seal in the woods. However, False Solomon Seal has these delicate air plume type flowers at the end of their arching stems while Solomon Seal {polygonatum biflorum} has dainty bell like flowers that dangle and dance under the arching branches. Both of these perennials turn yellow in the fall and die down and disappear until spring to once again fill your garden with beauty.
Thank you for stopping by and I hope that I have inspired you to look at nature in a different way. If you have any questions or want to comment, feel free to contact me.
Creating. Inspiring. Gardening without the rules!
2016 copyrighted material C Renee Fuller @The Garden Frog Boutique
NOTE: This native beauty would be a great addition to your shade garden and can be found at reputable online sites, independent garden centers, and native plant nurseries. I do not ever recommend going out on private property or in National Parks to dig up any native plant without the express permission from the owner or an understanding on how to dig up and transplant any plant. The decline and extinction of many natives in our country is due in part because people stop and dig up plants and either take the whole plant and/or colony or kill the plant (which unfortunately happens more often than it should). Even I do not just go out and dig up a plant- I will confess to you I have in the past before I knew what the impact was on nature. If you must and feel compelled to snatch and grab, then grab a seed head or pod and leave the plant alone.
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