ornamental, medicinal, and fragrant

i didn’t need wiki to see the resemblance between this solomon’s seal and lily of the valley–the leaves are a dead give away as soon as i put them up to the light. the two are close cousins. but i did need wiki to learn that it is in the family Asparagaceae and the young shoots of the plants may be boiled and served like asparagus. the rhizome is used in both traditional chinese medicine and traditional korean medicine. and the odoratum variety is scented. a gardener’s trifecta–ornamental, medicinal, and fragrant.  hello solomon’s seal, you quiet little over-achiever you.

solomon’s seal (Polygonatum odoratum)