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| Solomon's Seal in glory by the side of the porch. |
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| Lovely hanging bells of Solomon Seal |
Solomon's Seal has always been one of my favorite woodland wildflowers. It seems to spring from the ground in the course of a week to appear fully blown with its dangling bells hidden beneath the twisted stalks. This early drawing from my archives, (probably 2006) and the accompanying commentary transcribed from Tis Mal Crow's wonderful book: Native Plants, Native Healing.
At Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve these plants were a favorite of the occasional deer interloper -- so much so that one year they ate them right out of the rows of pots set up on tables for the Spring Plant Sale. I never understood the allure until once, when extras from a weeding binge thinned the population in the display garden, I chomped on them raw as suggested here: delicious!
Mostly, however, I have made a root tincture of the older roots when thinning the beds...for solomon's seal can be an enthusiastic spreader, and thus requires to be lifted and thinned in the fall, from time to time. I have not used it as a poultice herb.
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| Its always interesting to note when the same uses for a plant surface in wide-spread cultures, in this case, the classic Herbal of John Gerard's from 1633 in London, and contemporary use among the Cherokee, as well. |
Because this is such a favorite with the overabundant deer population here in Bucks County, it is rarely found in the wild, much less in quantities great enough to allow for sustainable harvesting. Fortunately, it doesn't mind being domesticated.
