Solomon's Plume
Maianthemum racemosum
Fragrant white plumes in May, red September berries for thrushes and waxwings, and gold fall foliage. Graceful colonies in moist shade.
Typically 1 pint–1 gal · $9–$30 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
Spring fragrance, summer berries, fall gold, winter seed for birds. Solomon's Plume delivers four seasons of interest in one reliable, deer-resistant woodland plant.
Solomon's Plume (sold as Smilacina racemosa, now correctly Maianthemum racemosum) is one of the most beautiful spring woodland perennials in eastern North America. The arching, two-to-three-foot stems carry broad, deeply veined leaves alternately up their length, and in May they terminate in large, fluffy plumes of small, fragrant white flowers, the 'plume' that distinguishes it from true Solomon's seal. The fragrance is light and sweet, carrying a few feet on calm mornings. The flowers give way to speckled green berries through summer that ripen to translucent red by September. Each berry cluster is a perfect ornamental detail and a food source for thrushes, vireos, and waxwings. The foliage turns warm yellow-gold before frost, closing the season with color. Solomon's Plume spreads slowly by rhizome to form loose, graceful colonies in moist shade. It's one of the most versatile and rewarding of all eastern woodland natives, suitable from deep shade to dappled light, thriving anywhere the soil stays moist and rich.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown solomon's plume propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
Plant solomon's plume instead of Japanese Solomon's seal (Polygonatum odoratum) in woodland garden settings. Same job in the garden, without the spread.
- Sun
- Part shade
- Water
- Average
- Mature size
- 2–3 ft · 18–24 in wide
- USDA zones
- 3–8
- Family
- Asparagaceae
- Native range
- North America from British Columbia to Nova Scotia south throughout the eastern US; moist, rich deciduous forests
Care notes for solomon's plume.
Part to full shade, moist, humus-rich soil. Mulch with shredded leaves annually. Tolerates denser shade than most woodland perennials. Spreads moderately by rhizome to form colonies. divide in early fall to thin or propagate. Virtually pest and disease free. Keep consistently moist, especially during establishment.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside solomon's plume.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.