Solomon's Seal dry shade garden shrub

I saw on Victory Garden something called Solomon's Seal, a short shrub with tiny white flowers which is supposed to be great for naturalizing in a dry shade area. I searched "solomon's seal" on DG but did not find it.

Lu

Here are the ones in Plant Files:
http://davesgarden.com/pf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=Solomon%27s+Seal&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=&searcher%5Bcultivar%5D=&searcher%5Bhybridizer%5D=&search_prefs%5Bsort_by%5D=rating&images_prefs=both&Search=Search
This common name is usually used for things in genus Polygonatum, but when I searched for Solomon's Seal in PF it pulled up some things from a few other genera as well. I think most of them are perennials though not shrubs, so I wonder if this is what you were looking for or not?

Solomon's Seal is not a shrub/woody but a herbaceous perennial. There is a Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum available that is quite impressive size wise so perhaps he was referring to this species. It has a graceful arching habit and the blooms droop down like bells that sway in the wind. It can attain some impressive heights of around 5'. This is an extremely elegant plant that I believe is a show stopper.

I don't quite know what to say about the comments made on Victory Garden because based on my personal experiences growing several different species of Polygonatum, they prefer moist humus-rich soil in part to full shade. When I come across them growing in the wild, they are found in moist humus-rich soil. They didn't seem to thrive for me when planted in dry areas. I moved mine.

There is also a varigated form which gets 2.5'. It grows under the same conditions. Although restrained in height it establishes easily and grows well in soil slightly acid, well drained and in shade. Sun stops its advance. Although most sources say the soil should stay moist I haven't seen any damage from an occaisional dry spell. The varigation is striking. About every other year I have to pull it up from under the rhododendrons. It is fairly vigorous but I would not classify it as invasive. I also have it growing under a pair of fraser firs mixed with tatting ferns (Athyrium filix-femina 'Frizelliae') and hostas. They all cohabitate nicely. The different leaf forms and plant structures make a nice combination. To give you an idea of its sturdiness, rhizomes tossed in the compost bin will root again and grow right out through the sides of the bin. Fussy it isn't!

Come to think of it, I don't recall any damage from occasional dry spells either.

The variegated Japanese Solomon's Seal doesn't show off the flowers as well in my opinion but it wasn't overly aggressive as some have reported.

I like Tatting Ferns and have a few of them. That would be a nice combination.

Thanks all! It WAS variegated and it DID have the droopy white flowers.

I'm on some acreage with much of the land left natural, but I want something to be a "hedge" between the woods and the mowed area, so it looks planned. This is an area that I would rather not have to constantly water (here in hot and humid zone 8B - N. of Houston, TX). So if you have any suggestions, please reply.

Also, if it's not too much to ask for, I would prefer EVERGREEN, FLOWERING, HUMMINGBIRD/BUTTERFLY ATTRACTING, BERRY PRODUCING, DEER RESISTANT. :o) Ayayayayay! Is there ANYTHING out there that fits the bill???????????????

Lu

I don't know if it would change your consideration or not, but here in zone 6 it goes dormant. If that is the case in zone 8, it would not be a hedge year round.

I can grow it too in moist, mostly shade. however, it goes dormant on me when it gets really hot. It has been a slow grower, but a multiplier, nonetheless. I bought it when looking for something to serve as a ground cover, not a shrub. I think it would be too droopy to be a shrub.

lovely plant.

Given your preferences, would you consider a mixed hedge? Although not evergreen, you might want to consider Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii. Others that might be of interest to you based on some of your hummingbird/butterfly preference might be Rhus virens (Evergreen and a top contender for you I would think), Mimosa borealis, Leucophyllum frutescens, Forestiera angustifolia (Evergreen), Garrya ovata ssp. lindheimeri (Evergreen), and Aloysia macrostachya. There's a member out there named MitchF who is working on creating habitat and he's somewhere in mid or eastern TX and I'm wondering if you might want to contact him to see what kind of lists he created. He might just have done all your leg work for you.