Polygonatum (Solomon's seal) are delightful and tough perennial plants for the shade garden, whose bold foliage adds a unique texture. Solomon's seal will slowly form dense colonies of architectural arching stems. Polygonatum stalks are adorned with rows of bell-like flowers that dangle beneath the arching stems.
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While polygonatum prefer rich soil and part shade, they are also very tolerant of adverse conditions. When your Solomon's seal clumps are large enough to divide, remember that rhizomes without growing points will not produce any new growth until the following spring.
The genus polygonatum has the common name Solomon's seal, after the biblical figure King Solomon. The genus name Polygonatum is Latin for "many knees". Below is our current list of polygonatum for sale. If you're looking to buy Solomon's seal, we don't think you'll find a better selection. When you are ready to buy solomon's seal for your garden, check out our online offering of polygonatum for sale below.
Since 1988, Plant Delights Nursery has been the choice of serious gardeners and plant collectors looking for the best and rarest perennial plants. We are pleased to have received the Perennial Plant Association Retail Award in 2011, the American Horticulture Society Commercial Award in 2002, and to have been selected as one of the Best Mail Order Plant Sources - Garden Design Magazine 2010. Welcome to our family of plant lovers!
This wonderful Solomon's seal hails from southeastern China where it can be found on wooded slopes up to 6,500' in elevation. Polygonatum cyrtonema has proven to be a wonderful garden performer, where the rapidly growing clumps expand to 4' tall x 3' wide in 5 years. Each 4' tall stalk is loaded with over 100 pendent, tubular white flowers, tipped with green. The contrast of the flowers against the bold green leaves is stunning in May. In fall, the flowers are replaced by clusters of black fruit. This sturdy, architectural, and easy-to-grow Solomon's seal is a must for the woodland garden. New stalks for the following year form underground but do not emerge after the initial spring growth flush for the current season. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This wonderful strain of the easy-to-grow true Polygonatum falcatum was recently discovered in Japan. The 2' tall stalks are adorned with narrow green leaves with a pointed (falcate) tip. In the center of each leaf is a dramatic silver stripe. These are individual seedlings from the population, so each clone is slightly different. In early spring, the clumps are further highlighted by small, dangling white bells beneath the stem. Polygonatum 'Silver Lining' should make a 1' wide clump in 5 years. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This stunning selection of the Asian Polygonatum falcatum comes from Korea's famed Cheju Island, where we spotted it growing underneath a giant Torreya nucifera at 560' elevation. The stunning 2' long arched stems are laden in late April/early May with a "clothesline full of socks imagery" of dangling white bells, each tipped in green...sort of a galanthus moment for those who indulge. Polygonatum 'Wedding Bells' is radically different and much more attractive than the Japanese forms of Polygonatum falcatum that we have grown. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
In my wildest dreams (and I do have some pretty wild dreams), I never thought I'd see anything like the rare orange-flowered form of Polygonatum kingianum. Forget everything you know about Solomon's seal, except that it grows from a rhizome in shade. In spring, the stalk emerges, clothed with whorled sets of narrow, dark green foliage. Each leaf ends in a curled loop that it uses to climb above its neighbors...the original social climber. At each whorl of foliage are small, bright-orange, bell-like flowers that make for a tongue-dropping show. This easy-to-grow clumper gets larger and taller as the size of the rhizome increases with age. For us, P. kingianum stands erect unless it sets a good crop of large green berries. This is an absolute gem for the woodland garden...get them while they last. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
We are finally able to share this wonderful form of Polygonatum latifolium (formerly Polygonatum hirtum) that we purchased from the former Heronswood Nursery in 1999. This form makes a compact clump of 1' long arched stems, adorned by eyeglass lens-sized green leaves and dripping with small white bells that hang beneath the stems, starting in late April (NC). Expect a 2' wide patch in 5 years...very cute and soooo easy to grow! Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
(syn: Polygonatum umbellatum) This superb Solomon's seal for the woodland garden is found from 1,200' to 4,500' elevation in the forested provinces surrounding Beijing to the north. For us, Polygonatum macropodum makes a very attractive, symmetrical clump (5' wide in 6 years) of 3' long, arching stems of medium-green leaves. In spring, the tight clusters of stems emerge from winter-dormant, knobby rhizomes and are adorned in May with long rows of small, white, clustered bells, attached just below the stems. In late summer and fall, the old flowers are replaced by the developing blue fruit. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
We have plantsman Barry Yinger to thank for bringing this nearly extinct old Japanese cut-foliage cultivar into US cultivation. The translation of 'Byakko' to "White Tiger" is apt to describe the amazing foliage. The red stems are adorned with leaves which emerge solid green and then the half closest to the stem magically morphs to creamy white. Polygonatum 'Byakko' is reasonably vigorous, considering the large amount of white on the leaves...expect a 2' wide clump in 5 years. This is truly a magical plant for the woodland garden. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
I think this Japanese selection of their native Solomon's seal is way cool...but then I've never been know for my normal tastes. Polygonatum 'Koryu' is a unusually esoteric (ugly in an academically wonderful sort of way...like art films) selection of the popular Polygonatum odoratum. This bizarre selection produces 16" tall, slightly arching stalks, clothed with grey-green Easter egg-sized leaves, each highlighted by a raised dragon-ridge down the center. Below the leaves in spring are a few small, dangling white flowers, but grow this for the leaves...assuming you're into severely deformed plants. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
(aka: Polygonatum odoratum A1K-008) This exciting collection of Polygonatum odoratum var. maximowiczii is from the Taean Peninsula of South Korea. This vigorous selection makes a rapidly multiplying clump of light green, silver-backed leaves to 3' wide in 5 years. In May, the clumps are adorned with pendent, white bell-shaped flowers, three to five at each node, which exude a marvelous sweet lemon fragrance...especially early in the morning. In the fall, the 2' tall upright stalks are loaded with large black fruit. In 2011, UK National Collection holder for polygonatum, Bleddyn Wynn- Jones, noticed that this plant does not have the characteristic ridged stem of Polygonatum odoratum. Could we perhaps have found a new species? Stay tuned. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
We discovered this unique Solomon's seal in 1997 on Korea's Cheju Island. The leaves are abnormally large for Polygonatum odoratum and are borne very close together compared to typical plants. Finally, the stems twist slightly, creating the effect of a spiral staircase. A clump of Polygonatum 'Spiral Staircase' is stunning in leaf as well as when it is adorned in early spring with clusters of small, white, bell-shaped flowers hanging just below the foliage. In fall, the flowers are replaced by large, blue-black berries. This is a great new vigorous addition to the woodland garden. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
(aka: Polygonatum multiflorum 'Variegata') Emanating from a thumb-sized horizontal rhizome just below the ground in spring, the delicate pink buds emerge, soon evolving into a 20" ladder of green pickle-sized leaves, edged in white. In May, the small white flowers dangle (or is it dingle?) beneath the arching stems. Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum' looks great from spring until it turns bright yellow as it goes dormant in fall. A 5-year-old patch will spread to 3' wide. This is one of the finest and easiest-to-grow shade perennials anywhere! Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
We purchased this splendid form of the Japanese Polygonatum odoratum in 2003 from the former Heronswood Nursery, who got it from Japan's Jinguji Nursery. Since then, it has enjoyed a place of honor in our garden where it can be admired by all who visit. We are finally able to share with those who missed the original limited HWN offering. The 20" tall, arched, wine-red stems are adorned by egg-shaped green leaves, then decorated with dangling white bells in spring, followed by lovely blue-black fruit in early fall. To quote Dan from 2003, "From an enormous contingent of Solomon's Seals in our garden, this rises to the surface as one of the most beautiful." Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
(syn: Polygonatum orientale) This native from Turkey east to Russia is the Asian equivalent of the US native Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum. Polygonatum polyanthemum makes an attractive clump of 3.5' tall stalks, adorned in early May with clusters of white bells that dangle beneath the stems. Medicinally, the rhizomes of Polygonatum polyanthemum produce Smilagenin, a chemical used to treat cognitive dysfunction. Plant several in the garden to help with those loopy garden moments that become more frequent as we age. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
We purchased our first plant of Polygonatum 'Fireworks' for $100 in 2004, and have been in love ever since. This amazingly vigorous Japanese selection of Solomon's seal forms a patch of finger-like rhizomes, from which emerge 2' tall stems clothed in egg-shaped green leaves, flecked with creamy white. As the plants age, the leaves form a creamy white border while retaining the flecking. The stalks are also adorned with small white bells dangling beneath the stem in spring...a superb specimen plant or groundcover. While Polygonatum 'Fireworks' grows well in shade, it is much more vigorous with a few hours of sun. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
I first encountered this charming dwarf solomon's seal in 1994 near Zhongdian, China at the sub-alpine elevation of 12,500'. Polygonatum prattii is a miniature Solomon's seal that forms a small clump of 6-8" tall stems, adorned with tiny leaves and in early spring with equally tiny dark purple flowers. Polygonatum prattii is a must for detailed-oriented rock gardeners with a taste for esoteric and cute, but is essentially worthless for big-picture Olmsted wannabes. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Polygonatum odoratum 'Double Stuff' is one of four different wide-edged forms of the durable Solomon's seal, Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum, that are entering the market. Polygonatum 'Double Stuff' was discovered by Pennsylvania's Bill Lamack in 1997, but only introduced commercially in 2011. Each 18" tall red stalk is adorned with white edged leaves whose margins are nearly double that of the typical Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum'. The clumps are adorned with dangling, small white bell-shaped flowers in April (NC). Polygonatum 'Double Stuff' is much slower growing than its parent due to the reduced amount of chlorophyll in the leaves. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
.jpg "Epimedium wushanense (Wushan Fairy Wings)")
.jpg "Polygonatum cyrtonema (Giant Chinese Solomon's Seal)")
