Mostly cloudy this evening with showers developing after midnight. Thunder possible. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..
Mostly cloudy this evening with showers developing after midnight. Thunder possible. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
SOLOMON’S SEAL Polygonatum biflorum
SOLOMON’S SEAL Polygonatum biflorum
To most Americans the study of wildflowers seems like the study of “weeds.” During Colonial days and the settling of the west, Native Americans taught settlers how to use many different wildflowers to treat illnesses, enrich food with seasoning, and adorn the settlements with beauty.
However, the Old Testament in I Kings 4:33 we read, “He (Solomon) described plant life from the Cedar of Lebanon to the Hyssop that grows out of the wall.” His botanical records have been lost, but his name is still associated with wisdom, wealth, writings, music, and the knowledge of plants, including the wildflower for today.
King Solomon was wise in the use of medicinal herbs (I Kings 4:33). It is believed that this plant, which is named for him, was one of those herbs. The juice from the crushed rhizome was used for earache and sunburn. One botanist during Colonial days noted that Cherokee Indians used a poultice made from the root to accelerate the healing of wounds. Some, therefore, attributed the term “seal” to refer to the healing quality of the herb (sealing a wound).
The more common lore suggests that the shape of the knotty rhizome resembles Solomon’s official seal. Another source noted that the indentions along the rhizome looked as if they had been marked by a king’s ring and the centers of the marks looked like Hebrew alphabet characters, thus the name “Solomon’s seal.”
Technically, the rhizome indentions are “scars” from which stems of the previous year’s growth occurred. Thus, an observer could discover how many years the plant had been there by counting the indentions. The Greek name polygonatum gives the scientific explanation: poly means “many” and gonu means “knee.” The knees for some botanists seem to refer to the areas between the indentions on the rhizome. The knees for most others seem to be the zigzag angles of the stem from which the leaves and blooms hang. (Sanders)
Solomon’s seal is a low-growing plant that arches more horizontally than vertically. The leaves alternate along the stems. Unless you are specifically looking for the blooms, you’ll miss them because they hang under the leaves along the stem.
I’ve never seen a stem with all the flowers in bloom. There are three or four opened and the rest are in various stages of development. The mature flower is white but the immature ones are light green to whitish-green and that complicates their discovery. However, once you’ve seen the real thing you’ll have no trouble locating it thereafter.
The term “biflorum” refers to the way the blooms occur in pairs, as illustrated. The drooping of the blooms make it very difficult for insects to get to the sweet nectar. However, honey bees seem to have no problem with the challenge.
Solomon’s seal is common in woods and thickets throughout Georgia. The fruit, a dark blue berry, is a favorite of the ruffled grouse.
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Orrin Morris is a retired Baptist minister, local artist and art teacher. To purchase a two-volume set of books featuring his wildflower columns, visit The Sketching Pad in Olde Town Conyers, or call 770-929-3697 or text 404-824-3697. Email him at odmsketchingpad@yahoo.com.
I have been editor of the Rockdale Citizen since 1996 and editor of the Newton Citizen since it began publication in 2004. I am also currently executive editor of the Clayton News Daily, Henry Daily Herald and Jackson Progress-Argus.
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