Common Name: Solomon's seal
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Asparagaceae
Native Range: Taiwan
Zone: 7 to 9
Height: 0.75 to 1.00 feet
Spread: 0.75 to 1.00 feet
Bloom Time: June
Bloom Description: Creamy white
Sun: Part shade to full shade
Water: Medium to wet
Maintenance: Medium
Suggested Use: Ground Cover, Naturalize
Flower: Showy
Tolerate: Heavy Shade
Culture
Best grown in moist, humusy, well-drained soils in part shade. Tolerates full shade. Will slowly naturalize by creeping rhizomes to form colonies in optimum growing conditions. Not reliably winter hardy to the St. Louis area where, if grown, it should be placed in a sheltered location. Foliage is evergreen in USDA Zones 7-9.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Disporopsis arisanensis, commonly called disporopsis or sometimes evergreen Solomon’s seal or dwarf evergreen Solomon’s seal, is a rhizomatous perennial that is native to shaded upland forested areas of Taiwan. It is in the same family as and similar in habit to Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum). It is a dwarf plant that grows to only 12” tall and features arching stems (to 8-10” long) clad with rounded alternate leaves that are shiny, thick and evergreen. Drooping bell-shaped, creamy white flowers bloom in small clusters from the leaf axils in June. Flowers give way to purple-blue berries that ripen in early autumn.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Watch for slugs in spring.
Uses
Shade or open woodland gardens. Naturalizes to form an attractive ground cover.