Good Morning Grand Ladies of King Solomon’s Court.  I have come, to the forest, this glorious day, to kneel before you, and offer my allegiance. 

While you bow in protection, I, too, bow, in reverence and awe; as searching for your kingdom has been a long and arduous journey. 

I will freely admit to the temptation of eating your tender, young, Polygonatum commutatum, shoots and digging the savory treasure of your Sealed rhizomes.  Yet, in all good conscience, I can not; although, that was my original intention.  The marvelous treat of finally finding you, here, in the wild, is all the sustenance I need. 

And, so, I will protect you from encroaching invading species, random critters and times of drought.  All I ask in return is that you and yours continue to grow.  I gratefully accept your offering of two broken stalks, to bring home to my people, and spread the good word, King Solomon’s Seal lives on!

Solomon’s Seal, Polygonatum commutatum, formally in the Lilaceae family, now placed in the family Asparagaceae, rhizomes have, traditionally, been used to alleviate a plethora of ailments, from “female debility to pectoral afflictions” *. As an external wash, the root’s “tonic, mucilaginous, astringent, demulcent, balsamic, and pectoral” *, properties, speed healing to cuts, bruises, skin irritations, inflammations, acne, and, “counter poison ivy” *.

“Its use to fight diabetes was first observed in 1930 by Hedwig Langecker. After experiments, she concluded that it was effective in fighting nutritional hyperglycemia, though not that caused by adrenaline release, probably due to its content of glucokinin. **

Eventually, I know I WILL find a large, forageable patch of Solomon’s Seal. 

 Until then, for a wonderful testament to King Solomon’s Seal’s many, culinary and medicinal uses please visit Alternative Nature Online Herbal, at: http://www.altnature.com/gallery/Solomon%27s_Seal.htm

Thanx for stopping by.  See you next time.

*SHAKER Medicinal HERBS, Amy Bess Miller. 

     Storey Books.  1998

**http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygonatum