Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Maianthemum stellatum (False Solomon's Seal) is a species of flowering plant in the family Ruscaceae, native across North America generally from Alaska to California in the west and from Newfoundland to the central Appalachian Mountains in the east. In California it is found primarily in the Coast Ranges and Sierras. An everchanging seasonal plant with little white buds in the spring, followed by delicate starry flowers, then stripy berries and deep red berries in the fall. It is a woodland herbaceous perennial plant, smaller than its close relative M. racemosum. This is a plant for full shade areas.

Plant type

Perennial herb

Size

2 ft Tall
1 - 2 ft Wide

Growth rate

Moderate

Dormancy

Summer Deciduous

Calscape icon
Color

White, Red

Flowering season

Spring

Special uses

Deer resistant

Sun

Deep Shade, Partial Shade

Water

Moderate

Summer irrigation

Max 1x / week once established

Ease of care

Easy

Cold tolerance

Tolerates cold to 0° F

Soil drainage

Fast

Soil description

Prefers rich, loose, but well-drained soils with lots of humus.
Soil PH: 5.0 - 7.0

Propagation

For propagating by seed: 6 mos. cold, 3 mos. warm, and 5 mos. cold stratification.

Sunset Zones

1, 2, 3, 4*, 5*, 6*, 7*, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15*, 16*, 17*, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

Site type

Woodlands

Plant communities

Chaparral, Foothill Woodland, Mixed Evergreen Forest, Red Fir Forest, Forest, Yellow Pine Forest, Wetland-Riparian

Use in a shaded woodland garden with various tree species, native ferns, Wild Ginger (Asarum caudatum), and other shade-loving plants. Also goes well with columbine, foamflower, ferns, and baneberries. Plant along paths with bleeding hearts.

Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

0 confirmed and 2 likely

Confirmed Likely

White Triangle Tortrix

Clepsis persicana

American Angle Shades

Euplexia benesimilis