Starry Solomon's Seal
Maianthemum stellatum (Smilacina stellata)
Arching stems tipped with starry white spring flowers, spreading into low, weed-suppressing colonies. Polished shade groundcover, zero fuss.
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
A refined, spreading native groundcover for shade that stays clean and attractive all season without any attention. one of the best under-tree fillers in our inventory.
Starry Solomon's seal threads its way through the shade garden with arching stems lined with smooth, lance-shaped leaves, each stem tipped with a small cluster of starry white flowers in spring. It's a quieter, more compact species than its larger cousin false Solomon's seal, less showy but more refined, and it spreads by rhizomes to form low, weed-suppressing colonies under trees and shrubs where the foliage stays attractive through the entire growing season. The small red-striped berries that follow the flowers ripen to dark red or black in fall and are eaten by robins and other birds. A reliable, low-maintenance groundcover for moist shade that looks polished without requiring any care.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown starry solomon's seal 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 starry solomon's seal instead of Japanese pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis), English ivy. Same job in the garden, without the spread.
- Sun
- Part shade
- Water
- Average
- Mature size
- 1–2 ft · 18–36 in wide
- Bloom time
- Spring
- Bloom color
- White
- USDA zones
- 3–8
- Family
- Asparagaceae
- Native range
- Northern and Eastern North America
Care notes for starry solomon's seal.
Part shade to full shade in moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil. Consistent moisture needed for best performance. mulch to retain moisture. Spreads steadily by rhizomes to form colonies; divide as needed. Near-evergreen in mild winters. No fertilizing needed in woodland soil. Deer may occasionally browse but plants recover.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside starry solomon's seal.
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’.