I think it can take that, Kim. I had some variegated Solomon's seal at my old farm along a VERY shady stone wall and it thrived... Took a shovel full here and it's (temporarily) on a west facing wall and still doing well. Gotta love that kind of adaptability!
:)Leslie

I can beat that shade, Leslie (though I haven't tried the sun)! I've some variegated Solomon's Seal that is living underneath an overgrown Chinese holly, and has been for the last 10 years at least. It still comes up every spring, and doesn't even look exceptionally lanky. I'd say it can take more shade than just about any other perennial I know.

I have some in deep dry shade, fighting it out with Yellow Archangel and so far holding its own (it was there first).

As long as you plant it while the ground is still moist it should do ok.

Kim: SS is a no no with hosta. The roots (corms?) will take over any hosta in its path, over and under it goes. The reason I had to dig Invincible was to save it from the the SS. SS is now covering the area that before included Inv. and 2 other plants.

Thanks Lois for the warning. I was planning to plant some where it was too dark for the hostas next to where I've been putting the painted and Christmas ferns. Maybe I'll space it even just a further down to make sure.

I have a question for all the Solomons Seal experts. This plant has been growing every year in my back yard since we moved in. This summer will be the 5th. It is a lone plant and grew in the same spot every year. Is this Solomons Seal? If so, everyone talks like it is very prolific, yet, mine has yet to propagate.

Last fall, I finally dug up the Rhyzome (root) and divided it into three pieces and replanted them in the same general area. I also picked a bunch of the berries and extracted the seeds, dried them and spread them out in a nearby location and worked them into the soil. We have sandy soil. I am hoping I didn't kill the one plant by trying to divide the rhyzome and I hope that I get two or three out of the process. I also hope that some of the seeds take and start totally new ones.

I also took some of the seeds and placed them in some soil and then inside a zip loc bag and then in the frig over winter. I took the bag out of the frig a couple weeks ago and left it sit until a couple days ago. I opened it and sure enough, there were several sprouts with roots snaking through the soil. I carefully tried to take the seedlings and put them in some fresher soil and bigger container. I am hoping they continue to progress and eventually pop some seedlings through the soil surface. Later this spring or summer, I can then transplant them.

Here is some photos of my plant from last year before I dug up the rhyzome and harvested it's seeds. Is this indeed Solomon's seal and why hasn't it propogated on it's own?

{{gwi:1048823}}
{{gwi:1048824}}
{{gwi:1048825}}

Thanks your your time and opinions,
Bruce