As plants go, specifically perennials, there is a group I find appealing and I can spot them from across a garden or woodland. Oddly they are members of two families, although they could be twins. I'm referring to the Solomon Seals, the disporums, uvularias and maianthemum. Dicots or slender veined plants, like iris, palms, or hosta, this group is simple with elliptical shaped leaves (like bay leaf), arranged along arching stems. Most spread by rhizomes, forming colonies and interconnected underground. Both Solomon's Seal or polygonatum and maianthemum are in the asparagus family. The resemblance of which are almost nonexistent; or perhaps it's the jointed rhizome and berries, those small genetic markers. Solomon's Seal are many, the proper genus polygonatum meaning jointed knee. The roots are said to look like Hebrew letters, when broken at a joint, the center shows a pattern, some believe look like a king's seal, the two reasons for the common name. Flowers are held from below the foliage, clustered in pairs with up to eight in each arrangement and how we distinguish each species. Woodland or shade perennials, some native to North America, they are tough and durable and ever so graceful.
Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum' flowers
Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum flowers
Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum'
Maianthemum is commonly known as false Solomon's Seal with flowers that cluster at the end of arching stems. Native to North America, Asia, Central and South America. The leaves are hairy but otherwise the habitat, growth and look mimic polygonatum. Red berries ripen in fall and the most common native is Maianthemum racemosum, with green buds in spring which open to white flowers.
Maianthemum racemosum with amsonia
Of the twenty species of disporum, none are native to North America. Found in Japan, Asia, India and Russia, they belong to the family colchicaceae. Think of the fall flowering Crocus colchicum and scratch your head thinking how could these two possibly be kin? As I've mentioned, arching stems, slender leaves, flowers that hang from curved tips, these are also beautiful. In my shade garden, I collect them as well, a few grow in clumps, maintaining a well rounded look. Disporum lutescens is a husky grower when grown in the sunnier side of the shade garden with beautiful large bells of yellow in late spring.
Disporum lutescens
In the same family, like looking in a mirror, we have the uvularias. From the Latin uvula, which means "little grape", the flowers hang at the end of each stem. Thought to look like the uvula in our throat, common names include merrybells and bell flowers. All five species are native to North America and all are delightful. Uvularia perfoliata is well under a foot in height with stems that look like they pierce, or perforate each leaf. The most handsome may be Uvularia grandiflora, with largish flowers of yellow that dance on their stems in spring.
Uvularia perfoliata
Uvularia grandiflora
It takes a fine eye for detail to see the differences in these look-alike perennials. They mimic each other which the gardener may find appealing. Whether you want to strategize and discern minute details is just another layer to the delight of gardening.
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