Solomon’s Plume: Identification, Uses, and Benefits

Solomon’s Plume (Maianthemum racemosum) is a tasty native edible berry that’s common, easy to spot, and abundant all across the US, Canada, and Mexico. It goes by many names, including False Solomon’s Seal, False Spikenard, treacleberry, and feathery False Lily of the Valley. Learn how to identify Solomon’s Plume, distinguish it from toxic look-alikes (especially true Solomon’s Seal and Red Baneberry), and harvest the sweet ruby-red berries safely.

With all those “false” common names, you might get the impression that Solomon’s plume isn’t all that desirable, but while it may look vaguely similar to other common plants, Solomon’s plume is the best of the bunch in my book.

A “false” anything sounds like trouble, right? If you hear false morels you assume they’re probably toxic, and the same for false chanterelles. (You’d be right.)

In this case, the “false” variant of Solomon’s seal is actually the tastier option. (And “true” Solomon’s seal berries are actually toxic. Tricky, I know…)

Most people probably know (Maianthemum racemosum) by the common name False Solomon’s Seal, as in many ways, the growth habit and leaves look similar to true Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum). In flower and fruit, however, the plants are incredibly easy to tell apart. The full picture of distinguishing the two is below in the look-alikes section, but the short version: if the plant has a fluffy white flower cluster (or red berries) at the very tip of an arching stem, it’s Solomon’s Plume. If the flowers (or berries) hang down underneath the stem at each leaf node, it’s true Solomon’s Seal.

False Solomon’s seal, or Solomon’s plume, has a plume of flowers at the end of its shoot. They’re really beautiful in the summer months, and the tiny white flowers almost glow when they catch the sunlight.

What Is Solomon’s Plume?

Solomon’s Plume (Maianthemum racemosum, formerly Smilacina racemosa) is a perennial woodland herb in the asparagus family (Asparagaceae). It’s native to most of North America, growing wild from Canada through the United States and into Mexico. The plant grows from a thick spreading rhizome and forms colonies in shaded forest understories, particularly in moist, rich soil under hardwoods.

The plant typically grows 1 to 3 feet tall with a single arching stem, alternating broad oval leaves with strong parallel veins, and ends in a fluffy plume-shaped cluster of small white flowers in late spring. Those flowers give way to round, pea-sized berries that begin speckled with pink and brown and ripen to a deep ruby red in late summer and fall.

Common names abound: False Solomon’s Seal, Solomon’s Plume, False Spikenard, feathery False Lily of the Valley, treacleberry (named for its molasses-like flavor), and zigzag Solomon’s Seal. The plant is sometimes still listed under its older botanical name Smilacina racemosa, especially in older field guides.

Solomon’s Plume has two close relatives also found in North American woodlands, both of which are sometimes called by the same common names: Starry False Solomon’s Seal (Maianthemum stellatum, sometimes called Starry Solomon’s Plume) and Three-leaved Solomon’s Plume (Maianthemum trifolium). Both are smaller and less common than M. racemosum, and both have edible (though less abundant) berries. Canada Mayflower (Maianthemum canadense), also called Wild Lily-of-the-Valley, is another Maianthemum relative; it’s much smaller, has only 2 to 3 leaves, and produces tiny speckled red berries. Canada Mayflower berries are mildly toxic in quantity and shouldn’t be eaten.

Is Solomon’s Plume Edible?

Yes, Solomon’s Plume berries are edible. The fully ripe ruby-red berries have a sweet, almost molasses-like flavor with a slight acrid aftertaste that some foragers find pleasant and others find off-putting. The berries also have laxative properties when eaten in quantity, so they’re best as a trail snack rather than a bulk-harvest fruit.

The young shoots and the flower plumes are also edible. Spring shoots, harvested before the leaves unfurl (typically in early-to-mid May in northern climates), can be cooked like asparagus or fiddleheads. The white flower plumes themselves are edible too and can be added to salads or fried into fritters. Both shoots and flowers are best harvested in moderation, since the plant grows slowly and overharvesting can damage colonies; never harvest from sparse patches, and always leave the majority of the colony untouched to regenerate.

The rhizome is also used in some traditional herbal preparations as a tincture and decoction; this is more of an advanced forager’s project and shouldn’t be attempted by anyone who isn’t 100% certain of their identification, since the rhizome is when the plant is most easily confused with toxic look-alikes.

Important safety note: Solomon’s Plume should never be confused with true Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum), which has TOXIC blue berries (although the rhizome of true Solomon’s Seal is edible for skilled foragers). It also shouldn’t be confused with Red Baneberry (Actaea rubra), which is highly toxic. Always positively identify the plant before harvesting any part. The look-alikes section below covers the differences in detail.

After the stunning white flowers early in the season, the berries begin maturing. They go through a phase where they’re speckled in a way that’s characteristic of plants in the Maianthemum genus. A good example is Canada Mayflower (Maianthemum canadense), which has similar berries in the fall but a different growth habit. The speckled berries are almost more eye-catching than the fully ripe red berries, just because they’re so unique.

Eventually, the berries develop into a deep ruby red when truly ripe.

Here in Vermont, they ripen in very late summer or early fall, starting in early September and continuing to ripen through October. In warmer and more southern climates, they ripen earlier, sometimes as early as mid-summer.

Inside the fruits, you’ll find a single large very hard seed that looks a bit like an eyeball (and is hard as a rock). The skins are very firm, then just beneath is a layer of jelly-like sweet fruit, and finally this hard seed.

The sweet pulp is sucked off the seed, and then the seed is discarded.

The fruit are often harvested by birds and other small woodland animals, but the later ripening fruits may just get blanketed under a cover of snow.

Sometimes, they’ll persist all winter, and I’ve found them still reasonably fresh at first melt in the spring. (They’re a fun treat to find out winter foraging, but without the other clues for identification, be extremely careful with out-of-season harvesting.)

I personally really enjoy the berries and find them sweet and pleasant. Some foragers don’t enjoy them, and I imagine there must be something that people can taste and others can’t. (Like how some people think cilantro tastes like soap.) The common name treacleberry comes from this same molasses-like quality; readers from different parts of North America have written in to share that the local common name where they live is treacleberry, which fits the flavor exactly.

Sam Thayer notes in Nature’s Garden that the flavor is initially sweet like molasses but fades to a bitter and acrid aftertaste that runs through every part of the plant. He also observes that the acrid quality varies by region; berries from western North America tend to be sweeter and less bitter, while eastern berries can carry a stronger acrid note.

I’m here in the far Northeast, and I love them. I get a very slight acrid aftertaste, but it’s subtle and barely noticeable.

My kids agree with me, and don’t taste any bitterness. They stain their hands harvesting the small, soft fruit.

The fruit can be harvested in large quantities when ripe, as they grow in colonies. I’ve considered putting these through my Chinoise sieve and making a fruit butter out of them. There’s actually a number of recipes for such in the book Wild Jams and Jellies.

What stops me? Some sources note that the fruits are laxative in large quantities. With that in mind, I stick to eating them out of hand fresh on the trail (and I’ve never had any issues). Maybe they’re eating the slightly underripe speckled berries?

Solomon’s Plume Medicinal Benefits

Solomon’s Plume has a long history of use in Native American traditional medicine and is similar in many of its actions to true Solomon’s Seal. The rhizome is the most-used part for herbal preparations, and it’s traditionally been used as an anti-inflammatory, demulcent (soothing to mucous membranes), and astringent. Tribes including the Iroquois, Cherokee, and Ojibwe documented uses of the rhizome and root for sore throats, coughs, and digestive issues, and as a topical wash for wounds and sore muscles.

Modern herbal practice sometimes uses Solomon’s Plume rhizome interchangeably with true Solomon’s Seal rhizome (which is edible despite the toxic berries), particularly for joint and connective-tissue support. As with any wild rhizome harvest, this is an advanced forager’s project that requires positive identification and a sustainable harvest approach; the plants grow slowly and rhizome harvest can permanently damage a colony.

The berries themselves are not generally considered medicinal, just edible-with-cautions. The laxative effect of larger berry quantities is the most commonly noted property.

Where to Find Solomon’s Plume

Solomon’s Plume is widely distributed across most of North America, from southern Canada through the United States and into Mexico. It’s most abundant in eastern hardwood forests, the Great Lakes region, the Pacific Northwest, and the Rocky Mountain forests, but it can be found almost anywhere there’s suitable woodland habitat.

The plant prefers moist, rich, slightly acidic soil and partial to full shade. Look for it in:

• Mature deciduous and mixed hardwood forests
• Shaded streambanks and the edges of creeks
• Maple sugar bushes and other shaded woodlots
• The dappled understory of mixed forests with rich leaf-litter soil
• Forested slopes and ravines

The plant grows in colonies, spreading slowly by underground rhizome, so you’ll often find it in patches of dozens or hundreds of plants rather than as a single specimen. Once you’ve identified one productive patch, return year after year for harvest; the colony will continue to expand if treated sustainably.

When to Find Solomon’s Plume

Solomon’s Plume goes through several distinctive phases through the growing season, and each phase corresponds to a different harvestable plant part:

• Early spring (April-May): Young shoots emerge from the rhizome, looking like asparagus-like spears with leaves still tightly furled. This is the harvest window for spring shoots, and timing is tight (usually about 1-2 weeks).
• Late spring to early summer (May-June): The plant unfurls its arching stem, leaves expand, and the flower plume develops at the tip. Harvest the white flower plumes for fritters and salads when they’re fluffy and white.
• Mid-summer (July-August): Speckled green-and-pink berries develop in place of the flowers. Don’t harvest these unripe berries; they’re more strongly laxative.
• Late summer to fall (September-October): Berries ripen to deep ruby red. This is the main berry harvest window.
• Late fall through winter: Some berries persist on the dried stem after leaves have died back. Identification becomes harder as the plant skeleton breaks down.

For first-time identification, try to visit a known patch in flower (May-June) when the distinctive plume of white flowers makes the plant easy to confirm. Mark the location and return for shoots the following spring or for berries that fall.

How to Identify Solomon’s Plume

Solomon’s Plume is one of the easier woodland plants to identify when in flower or fruit, but the leaves and growth habit alone can be confused with several other woodland plants. Always confirm identification with multiple features and (ideally) at multiple growth stages before harvesting.

Leaves and Stem

Solomon’s Plume has a single arching, slightly zig-zag stem typically 1 to 3 feet long. Leaves are alternate (one per node), broadly elliptical to oval, 3 to 6 inches long, with strong parallel veins running from base to tip and slightly clasping bases that wrap around the stem. The leaves have smooth (untoothed) margins and are slightly fuzzy on the underside. The leaf tops are bright to dark green; the undersides are paler and sometimes slightly shiny.

The leaves of true Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum) look very similar to those of Solomon’s Plume, which is the source of much confusion. The clearest distinguishing feature on the leaves is texture: Solomon’s Plume leaves have a slightly rougher, sometimes shinier underside, while Solomon’s Seal leaves are smooth and matte on both sides.

Flowers

The flowers are the easiest single feature for confirming Solomon’s Plume identification. The flowering structure is a terminal panicle (a branched cluster) at the very tip of the arching stem, with dozens to hundreds of tiny six-petaled white flowers forming a fluffy plume shape. The plume is typically 2 to 6 inches long and stays at the tip of the stem.

This is the single biggest difference between Solomon’s Plume and true Solomon’s Seal: Solomon’s Plume has flowers at the tip of the stem; true Solomon’s Seal has flowers hanging underneath the stem at each leaf node.

Fruit

The berries form in a cluster at the tip of the stem (where the flowers were), starting as green and gradually transitioning through a distinctive speckled phase (pink, brown, and red speckles on a translucent skin) before ripening to a deep, uniform ruby red. Each berry is round, about ¼ inch across, and contains a single large hard seed.

The cluster shape is one of the easiest identifying features: a tightly bunched cluster of red berries at the very tip of an arching stem with alternate parallel-veined leaves is almost certainly Solomon’s Plume. By contrast, true Solomon’s Seal fruit hangs underneath the stem in pairs or small clusters at each leaf node, and ripens to dark blue-black (not red).

Rhizome

For advanced identification (and only when harvesting rhizome for medicinal use), the underground rhizome is thick and segmented, growing slowly at about 1-3 inches per year. Solomon’s Plume rhizome tends to be more yellow or golden-tan in color, while true Solomon’s Seal rhizome is whiter. Each year’s growth leaves a distinct scar on the rhizome.

Solomon’s Plume Look-Alikes

While I consider Solomon’s plume pretty easy to identify (at least in the fruiting stage), it does have a number of look-alikes, several of them toxic. Outside the fruiting stage, it has many more look-alikes, and I don’t recommend trying to eat other parts of the plant unless you’ve done your research.

Be careful when foraging this plant, and as with foraging any wild plant, it’s important to be 100% certain of your identification.

(Always consult at least two ID guides, don’t just take my word for it!)

Solomon’s Seal vs. Solomon’s Plume

True Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum, also called Smooth Solomon’s Seal) is the closest look-alike to Solomon’s Plume. They’re often confused because the stems and leaves look very similar at a glance, and the two plants frequently grow together in the same woodland habitat.

The good news: in flower or fruit, the two are easy to tell apart. The bad news: the differences in stems and leaves alone are subtle. Here’s the side-by-side comparison:

• Flowers: Solomon’s Plume has flowers in a fluffy white plume at the very tip of the stem. True Solomon’s Seal has bell-shaped greenish-white flowers hanging down underneath the stem in pairs at each leaf node.
• Berries: Solomon’s Plume has bright red speckled-then-ruby berries clustered at the tip of the stem. True Solomon’s Seal has dark blue-black marble-sized berries hanging underneath the stem at each leaf node. Solomon’s Seal berries are TOXIC.
• Stem: Solomon’s Plume has a slightly zig-zag arching stem. Solomon’s Seal has a more uniformly arching stem.
• Leaves: Both have alternate leaves with strong parallel veins. Solomon’s Plume leaves tend to have a slightly rougher texture and sometimes a shinier underside. Solomon’s Seal leaves are smoother and more uniformly matte.
• Rhizome: Solomon’s Plume rhizomes are golden-tan and thinner. Solomon’s Seal rhizomes are whiter and thicker, with characteristic scars that resemble a “seal” or wax seal.
• Edibility: Solomon’s Plume berries and shoots are edible (with the laxative caution noted above). Solomon’s Seal berries are TOXIC. Solomon’s Seal rhizome is edible for skilled foragers, while the berries should never be eaten.

If you’re harvesting the shoots or roots of the plant when it’s not in flower or fruit, the two plants are quite similar and you’ll need to do some work on identification. For details on harvesting true Solomon’s Seal, I’d suggest reading Nature’s Garden by Sam Thayer. It also has detailed information on harvesting Solomon’s plume, including how to identify and harvest it in early stages if you’d like to try the shoots and rhizomes. His books are by far my favorite foraging guides.

Jack in the Pulpit

This one’s a stretch, but I have actually seen people misidentify Jack in the Pulpit fruit (Arisaema triphyllum) as all manner of edibles, basically anything that has a red berry. It’s common in the woods, and I often find it near Solomon’s Plume.

Jack in the Pulpit fruit is born on a short spike that seems to appear from nowhere out of the ground. The plant’s already died back by mid-summer, just leaving these bright red berries that you might actually confuse for the eggs of some insect. The berries are highly toxic and contain calcium oxalate crystals that cause severe burning sensations in the mouth and throat if chewed.

The key differences:

• Jack in the Pulpit berries grow in a dense club-shaped cluster on a short bare stem, not at the tip of an arching leafy stem.
• The leaves of Jack in the Pulpit are completely different (three-parted, not parallel-veined).
• The growth habit is single short spike, not arching with multiple leaves.

Red Baneberry

Red Baneberry (Actaea rubra) is incredibly toxic and does actually bear a vague resemblance to Solomon’s plume (at least in the fruit). In fact, if you do an image search for red baneberry you’ll actually find a number of pictures of Solomon’s plume mistakenly mixed in there. Clearly, people confuse them often enough.

The plant’s growth habit and leaves look nothing alike to my eye, and the fruit themselves have a distinctive black dot at the tip of each berry (similar to white baneberry, also known as doll’s eyes). Still, be absolutely sure about your identification before trying Solomon’s plume, as a mistake here could be fatal. As few as 2 to 6 baneberries can cause serious illness, and larger doses can be lethal, particularly to children.

The clearest differences:

• Red Baneberry leaves are compound (each leaf is divided into multiple toothed leaflets), while Solomon’s Plume leaves are simple with smooth margins.
• Red Baneberry berries each have a distinctive black “eye” or dot at the tip; Solomon’s Plume berries are uniformly red.
• Red Baneberry berry clusters are loose and elongated, with individual berries on small visible stalks; Solomon’s Plume berries are tightly clustered at the tip of the stem with very short stalks.

Related Maianthemum Species

Several smaller members of the same genus are found in similar habitats and are sometimes confused with Solomon’s Plume:

• Starry False Solomon’s Seal (Maianthemum stellatum, also called Starry Solomon’s Plume) — a smaller version of Solomon’s Plume with star-shaped flowers and slightly larger speckled-to-dark-red berries. The plant is shorter (8-20 inches), the flower cluster is fewer-flowered (5-15 flowers), and the leaves are more lance-shaped. Berries are edible but less abundant.
• Three-leaved Solomon’s Plume (Maianthemum trifolium) — typically has only three leaves per stem and grows in bog and wet woodland habitats. Smaller and less common than M. racemosum. Berries edible.
• Canada Mayflower or Wild Lily-of-the-Valley (Maianthemum canadense) — a much smaller plant (4-8 inches tall) with only 2 to 3 broadly heart-shaped leaves and a small fluffy white flower cluster. The tiny speckled red berries are mildly toxic in quantity and shouldn’t be eaten despite the family resemblance.

The size and growth habit of these smaller species generally make them obviously different from M. racemosum, but the berry appearance can confuse beginners. When in doubt, look at the whole plant: M. racemosum has a 1-3 foot arching stem with many alternating elliptical leaves; the smaller Maianthemums have a much shorter stem with only a few leaves.

How to Harvest Solomon’s Plume

Solomon’s Plume harvest depends on which part you’re after. The plant grows slowly, and a careless harvest can damage a colony for years, so always harvest selectively from large healthy patches and never from small or struggling colonies.

Berries: Pick fully ripe ruby-red berries by hand, working through the cluster and leaving any speckled or unripe fruit in place. Berries can be eaten fresh, dried, or processed into fruit butter (with caution about the laxative effect). For trail eating, simply pick a few from each cluster as you walk and leave plenty for the birds and the next forager.

Spring shoots: Cut the youngest shoots (under 6 inches tall, leaves still tightly furled) at ground level with a sharp knife. Take only one shoot from each clump and never strip a colony. The shoots cook quickly like asparagus or fiddleheads and have a mild green flavor with a hint of bitterness.

Flower plumes: Pick the white flower plumes when they’re fluffy and white, before they begin browning at the tips. Use them in salads, fritters, or fritters. Plume harvest reduces berry production for that season, so don’t harvest plumes from a patch you also want for berry harvest.

Rhizomes: Only for advanced foragers with access to dense, healthy colonies. Dig in fall after the leaves die back, taking only the older established sections of rhizome and replanting any growing tips. Solomon’s Plume rhizome harvest is destructive to the colony and shouldn’t be attempted casually; consider using cultivated rhizomes from a native plant nursery instead.

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