Solomon's seal
Polygonatum odoratum
アマドコロ
Asparagaceae
Native perennial of broadleaf forest understories
Native Edible Container Wildlife value: medium Maintenance: low perennial
Planting calendar (Tokyo baseline)
Pick a region in the header to shift the window.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planting | ||||||||||||
| Flowering | ||||||||||||
| Fruiting |
Tokyo baseline: months 3, 4
Growing requirements
| Light | part shade |
|---|---|
| Water | medium |
| Soil | humus-rich, well-drained loam |
| Hardiness | Tokyo lowland |
| Container | Yes · Min container size: 15 L |
| Maintenance | low |
| Common issues | None |
Where to source
Seedlings, divisions, or seed. Native plant suppliers in Japan are the right starting point.
- Search Japanese suppliers for seedlings · native-plant suppliers
About this native
Native perennial of broadleaf forest understories
throughout Honshū, Shikoku, and Kyūshū. Arching stems
carry a row of white tubular flowers along the underside;
flowers are faintly fragrant and visited by native
bumblebees. Young shoots are eaten as a sansai vegetable;
the rhizome has a long history of medicinal use.
Usage
Part-shade woodland gardens; classic native sansō
perennial. Spreads slowly via rhizomes.
Practical info
| Native | Yes |
|---|---|
| Edible | Yes |
| Edible parts | Young shoots |
| Wildlife value | medium |
| Attracts |
|
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Sources
Primary references, publications, and observation data this page draws on. How sources are picked is described in About the data .
- Japan Red Data Book search
- Catalog editor (niwa, 2026-05)