Wikimedia Commons
Asparagaceae
False Solomon's Seal
Maianthemum racemosum
Hidden riches.
- Family
- Asparagaceae
- Genus
- Maianthemum
- Native to
- North America
- Bloom season
- Spring
- Type
- perennial herb
- Height
- 1.5-3 ft
- Sunlight
- part shade to full shade
- Soil
- moist, humus-rich, slightly acidic woodland
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- 3-8
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- Unlike true Solomon's seal, whose small flowers hang in pairs along the stem, false Solomon's seal bears its fluffy plume of tiny flowers at the very tip of the arching stem.
- By late summer the flowers transform into striking clusters of ruby-red berries that are eaten by thrushes, grouse, and bears.
- The arching stem, which can reach 3 feet, follows a single graceful curve with alternating leaves, creating an architectural elegance in shade gardens.
- Native Americans across North America used the roots as food and medicine, treating headaches, rheumatism, and regulating menstrual cycles.
- It spreads slowly via rhizomes, forming dense, weed-suppressing colonies in moist woodland gardens over many years.
Color meanings
0
subtle beauty
1
patience
2
forest abundance