A colony of Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum ‘Variegatum’ Photo by Holly Stickley
Polyga… what?
l have been in love with Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum ‘Variegatum’ for over a decade.
Who could resist this lush perennial beauty: elegant upright architectural form; arching stems dangling pairs of dainty bell-shaped white blooms; young stems tinged with purple…very cool.
Polygonatums grow best and have a sense of place in a woodland or naturalized garden. They are easy to grow in part to full shade, and prefer moist, humusy well-drained soil, but can tolerate dry soil and drought. Every year, I’m in awe of their beauty and hardy persistence in returning to my garden, spreading ever so slowly by rhizomes to form dense colonies and filling in quickly amongst my ferns, hellebores, and climbing hydrangea….yippee!
In Spring, their bold foliage (to 4″ long) emerges a soft green with creamy white tips and margins, turning to yellow in the Fall. Late Spring, Summer flowers have a lily-like fragrance, followed by blue-black berries in Autumn. Three seasons of delight! That’s a win, win, win in my small-space garden. Perennial Plant Association’s 2013 Perennial Plant of the Year! Enjoy!
Love, Holly ~ Your Queen Bee at The White Pear
