Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants

Herbaceous Perennial

Polygonatum stenanthum

narrow-anthered Solomon's Seal

A clump-forming, rhizomatous perennial with arching shoots up to 2m bearing broadly ovate leaves up to 30cm long. Hanging, bell-shaped, green and white flowers are produced in late spring and early summer, followed by black berries

Save to My plants

Buy this plant

Plant nurseries
2 suppliers

Ultimate height

1.5–2.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

1–1.5 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Partial shade

Aspect

North–facing or West–facing or East–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Asparagaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Potentially harmful: Harmful if eaten. Wear gloves and and other protective equipment when handling TOXIC to pets if eaten (dogs) - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Genus: Polygonatum are rhizomatous herbaceous perennials with erect or arching stems bearing glossy, elliptic leaves and pendent, tubular or bell-shaped flowers, sometimes followed by black or red berries
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil in partial shade

Propagation

Propagate by division in spring taking care not to damage young brittle shoots

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
City and courtyard gardens
Low Maintenance
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Cut back to the base in late autumn

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs and solomon's seal sawfly

Diseases

Generally disease-free

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.