Whorled Solomon's-seal

Clinging on in the Netherlands

The graceful, elongated leaves of these toxic forest plants are arranged in whorls. The flowers, which appear in May and June, are borne in the leaf axils and hang down towards the ground during flowering. The fruit is a berry, which is red at first and only later turns dark purple.

Whorled Solomon's seal is native to the Northern Hemisphere and although it grow in the Netherlands is very rare and restricted to South Limburg. Its native habitat is shady deciduous forests on fairly moist, acidic, loamy soil. When present this species can form large circular groups as a result of vegetative propagation through the rhizome. It was also known to grow in Midden-Drenthe but has since disappeared.

Berries - first red then darkening to a deep purple

Red List of the Netherlands: near threatened Whorled Solomon’s seal is a toxic, upright plant growing to 80 cm in height, a geophyte (bulbs or tubers) with rhizomes similar to those of many forest plants. The lanceolate to linear shaped leaves are arranged in whorls. Because of its graceful leaves and flowers it is often planted in botanical gardens.

The genus name Polygonatus originated from the Greek polys (many) and gonu (knee or node) because the rhizome consists of numerous sections that sometimes resemble a swollen knee. The species epithet verticillatum means ‘with whorls of flowers or leaves’. The hanging flowers appear in May and June from the leaf axils. The fruit is a berry, which is first red and then darkens to a deep purple.

Ecology and habitat

Whorled Solomon’s seal occurs in the northern hemisphere. In the Netherlands is it very rare and found only in Zuid-Limburg. In the wild it grows in shady deciduous woods on fairly damp, acidic, loamy soils, in mountain forests, thickets and in rocky places. For the ecologist it is an indicator species of Broad-buckler-fern-fir-beech forest - a rare forest type that, with the exception of in Limburg, occurs only in more continental and mountainous regions. This species can form large, round groups of individuals evidencing vegetative propagation through the rhizome.

Threat

Whorled Solomon’s seal grows in the Netherlands on the edge of its natural distribution range, in a rare forest type which significantly reduces its opportunity to survive. Moreover, it has declined drastically in numbers through the woodlands becoming overgrown and densely vegetated. It was also known from Midden-Drenthe but has since disappeared.