Variegated Solomon's seal is a classic for the woodland garden, grown mainly for its soft green leaves neatly edged in creamy white, which turn yellow in fall. The unbranched stems grow about 18 to 24 inches tall and arch gracefully at the top.
In late spring, small bell-shaped white flowers dangle beneath the stems and give off a light, lily-like scent in the evening. The arching stems are lovely in arrangements, and the plant slowly spreads into a clump in shade.
What it looks like
Unbranched, gracefully arching stems carry alternating oval leaves 3 to 4 inches long, soft green with neat creamy white margins and faint parallel veins, held flat along the stem. Beneath the stems hang small, narrow, tubular bell-shaped white flowers with green tips, singly or in pairs, dangling on thin stalks. The plant forms a slowly spreading clump of arching stems about 18 to 24 inches tall and 10 to 20 inches wide. In spring it looks like a group of green-and-cream arching wands with rows of white bells hanging below.
Growing it with lavender
This Solomon's seal needs shade and steady moisture, so give it a home under trees or on the north side of the house rather than in sunny, dry lavender beds.
Care
Plant in part to full shade in average to fertile, humus-rich soil kept evenly moist. Hardy in zones 3-9. It spreads slowly by rhizomes, so give it time to fill in, and cut the stems down after the foliage yellows in fall.
At a glance
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Botanical name: Polygonatum odoratum
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Flower color: White with green tips
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Foliage: Soft green edged creamy white; yellow in fall
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Growth habit: Arching, slowly spreading clump
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Mature size: 18–24 in tall × 10–20 in wide
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USDA hardiness zones: 3–9
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Light: part sun to part shade, full shade
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Bloom start: Mid-May
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Peak bloom: Late-May
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Bloom pattern: Single Flush
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Deer resistance: Moderately resistant
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Pollinator value: Fair
Sizes and shipping
Dormant bare-root plant, sold in boxes of 25 per variety (order in multiples of 25). Bare-root plants ship or are picked up March 1–May 31 only. They are soil-free, so they may ship to every state in that window. Dormant plants often show little or no top growth on arrival; plant or heel them in promptly.
Lavender companion · grow guide
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