Small Solomon's Seal
Polygonatum biflorum
Family: Convallariaceae
What it is like
Polygonatum biflorum is a PERENNIAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3. It is in flower in May. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. The plant is self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) or semi-shade (light woodland). It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 1
Where it is found
Dry to moist sandy, loamy or rocky deciduous woods and thickets, usually in upland areas.
N. America - New Brunswick to Michigan, south to Tennessee and Florida
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Young shoots - raw or cooked. An excellent vegetable when boiled and used as an asparagus substitute. Root - cooked. The flavour is somewhat bitter, to counteract this the root is sliced crosswise, cooked in alkaline water and the water changed during the cooking process. When steamed and sun-dried nine times the root is delicious. The roots are rich in starch, this can be extracted by beating or grinding the dried root, the starch can then be used to make bread or can be mixed in other foods such as soups.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Medicine
Rating: 1
A tea made from the roots is laxative. It has been used in the treatment of indigestion, profuse menstruation, lung ailments, general debility etc. It is a folk remedy for piles, rheumatism and skin irritations. A poultice or a decoction of the fresh roots is applied to cuts, bruises, sores etc.
Laxative: Stimulates bowel movements in a fairly gentle manner.
Poultice: A moist, usually warm or hot, mass of plant material applied to the skin in the treatment of burns etc.
Sedative: Gently calms, reducing nervousness, distress and irritation.
Other
Rating: 2
The root has been burnt as an incense. It is said that when the root is burnt in the bedroom just before going to sleep, the person would sleep soundly and awaken refreshed, rested and feeling young.
Incense: Aromatic plants that can be burnt to impart a pleasant smell, repel insects and disinfect closed areas.
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
How it is grown
Prefers a fertile humus rich moisture-retentive well-drained soil in cool shade or semi-shade. Plants are intolerant of heat and drought but they tolerate most other conditions. A very ornamental plant, it grows well in woodland and copses. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits. The young shoots are very attractive to slugs. Hybridizes with other members of this genus. Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum (Schult. & Schult.f.) Morong is a synonym of Polygonatum biflorum (Walter) Elliott The plant is heat tolerant in zones 9 through 1. (Plant Hardiness Zones show how well plants withstand cold winter temperatures. Plant Heat Zones show when plants would start suffering from the heat. The Plant Heat Zone map is based on the number of "heat days" experienced in a given area where the temperature climbs to over 86 degrees F (30°C). At this temperature, many plants begin to suffer physiological damage. Heat Zones range from 1 (no heat days) to 12 (210 or more heat days). For example Heat Zone. 11-1 indicates that the plant is heat tolerant in zones 11 through 1.) For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a runner spreading indefinitely by rhizomes or stolons. The root pattern is rhizomatous with underground stems sending roots and shoots along their length.
Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in early autumn in a shady part of a cold greenhouse. Sow stored seed as early in the year as possible. Germination can be slow, they may not come true to type and it takes a few years for them to reach a good size. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a shady position in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in March or October. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; not Deep Shade;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 3-7
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Full shade, semi-shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
The fruit and seed are possibly poisonous.