Solomon's seal

“Solomon’s seal” is the common name for species in the genus Polygonatum, members of the Lily family. The roots have been used medicinally to treat various ailments, or ground and baked into a type of bread, and the young shoots were eaten like asparagus.

The Seal of Solomon is the legendary signet ring attributed to the Israelite king Solomon in medieval mystical traditions. It is the predecessor to the Star of David, the symbol of the Jewish people.  The ring is believed to have given Solomon the power to command the supernatural, including the ability to speak with animals. As an ecologist, I wish I’d been able to have a long interview with him.

The signet ring was used like a stamp to make a mark and attest to the authority and wisdom of the bearer. It came to be seen as a talisman, or a symbol or character in medieval magic, occultism, and alchemy. It sounds like a dangerous plant to have in our garden then – but actually, the link between this plant and the ‘one ring to rule them all’ is a bit obscure.   The rhizomes bear rounded scars where previous year's stems arose – and supposedly it is the resemblance of these scars to the two inverted triangles that were the symbol or seal of King Solomon that gave rise to its common name.

The scars are near impossible to photograph, but I like the arching rack of flowers.  Also, it has rained all day, so I needed a quick exposure. The flowers kind of picked themselves for today’s W-I-D-E on Wednesday Blip because they are growing 5 m for our front door.