Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum' (variegated Solomon's seal)
Sinojackia rehderiana (Jack tree)
Type: Perennial
Variegated Solomon's seal is a conversation piece and a solid grower throughout its ample hardiness range of zones 3-8.
The variegated leaves will likely become some of your favorite in the garden, plus they often turn buttery yellow in the fall for a final show (fall color on an herbaceous perennial is unusual). Scroll through and you'll spy a yellow fall color picture at the end. Interestingly, the variegation is muted in the fall.
When you show your friends the petite flowers that dangle under the arching stems, you'll enjoy their reactions. It's a unique herbaceous perennial and very reliable in moist to average garden-water-conditions, but it doesn't like dry soils so much.
Also, shade is best for the long-term attractiveness of the plant into summer. We had a patch in too much sun and, yes, the plant was fine and didn't burn, but it looked haggard.
Polygonatum odoratum Variegatum grows by shallow spreading roots that will fill in an area over time - it becomes of patch of Solomon's seal (yay!). For example, we planted one with 2 arching stems in April 2017 that just sat there all summer doing nothing. Spring 2018 we wake up to 7 arching shoots! That's triple its size in a year.
slowly colonizes to fill an area
variegation is strong and it perks up dark areas under larger shrubs and trees
if you're looking for an herbaceous perennials to bulk up and spread in a shady area, this is a great choice
variegation
fragrant Solomon's seal
Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum 'Variegatum'
3a-8b
herbaceous perennial
Spring: variegated
Summer: variegated
Fall: yellow
moist, average garden, well-drained (no standing water)
acid, neutral
Give it moisture and rich soil to help it spread (avoid dry shade) and at least partial shade in the Deep South (more sun is okay further north).
Is there another plant that looks like this?
Yes, that's false Solomon's seal and the flowers are at the end of the arching stem, rather than dangling underneath. There are also native US Solomon's seal species, though none are variegated like P. odoratum (that we know of).
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