Maianthemum racemosum
SOLOMON'S PLUME
It is a woodland herbaceous perennial plant growing to 50–90 cm (20–35 in) tall. The fluffy white flowers bloom in late spring. The plants produce green fruits that are round and turn red in late summer. Plants spread by cylindrical rhizomes up to 0.3 m (1 ft 0 in) long. The Latin specific epithet racemosum means "with flowers that appear in racemes".
Maianthemum racemosum grows in habitats in North America. The most robust and profuse occurrences of this plant are typically found in partial and deep, moist, soft soils. In the western part of North America an example typical habitat would be in a d ra or riparian corridor with common understory associates of Dryopteris arguta, Trillium ovatum and Adiantum jordanii.
The plant, like the closely related Polygonatum (Solomon's seal), is suitable for cultivation in moist, humus-rich soil in a woodland setting or in dappled . It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Height/Spread: 50–90 cm (20–35 in) tall
Type: Hardy perennial
Hardiness zones: 3 to 8
Note: Poisonous
Seeds per pack: 3
Germination: As with many perennial seeds, these seeds benefit from a period of moist cold to help them begin to grow. This is done by giving them a cold 'winter' period (natural or artificial), and then a warming to simulate 'spring', and time to grow! Here's how this can be done:
Obtain a planting container that has holes in the bottom for excess water to drain. Place the seeds just under the surface of your growing medium, and water. Place your container in a cold area (but not freezing, perhaps a refrigerator) for 4-6 weeks. Once the cold period is completed, place the container at room temperature for them to germinate. Be sure to keep the soil moist during this entire germination period. Seedlings will sprout a few weeks, or occasionally several months, after the warming period.
