Starry Solomon's Seal

Maianthemum stellatum (Smilacina stellata)

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.