Flower Spotlight: Cleavers, Solomon's Seal, Solomon's Plume, Greater Celandine

Cleavers, Solomon's Seal and Plume, and the Greater Celandine. 

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Cleavers

A member of the Bedstraw family, Cleavers (Galium aparine) is a weak-stemmed, reclining plant with backward-hooked bristles on its seems and leaves. May-July it blooms small white flowers about 1/8th of an inch. 

• The leaves and stems of the plant can be cooked as a leaf vegetable if gathered before the fruits appear. However, the numerous small hooks which cover the plant and give it its clinging nature can make it less palatable if eaten raw.
• The leaves and stems of the plant can be cooked as a leaf vegetable if gathered before the fruits appear. However, the numerous small hooks which cover the plant and give it its clinging nature can make it less palatable if eaten raw.
• In medieval times a variant of this plant with pleasantly fragrant yellow flowers (Galium verum) was used to stuff mattresses.

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Solomon's Seal

Smooth Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum biflorum) can be identified by the hanging flowers in clusters of 1-3 (generally) which open May-June. They are mainly found in dry to moist woods and thickets. 

• The name Solomon's Seal comes from the rootstock or rhizome of the plant. When the leaf stalk breaks away from the rhizome it leaves a distinctive scar said to resemble the official seal of King Solomon.
• Indians and colonists once used the starchy rhizomes as food. 

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Solomon's Plume

With similar size, leaves, and growing location as the Solomon's Seal, it's easy to get these two confused prior to blooming. 
The Solomon's Plume (Maianthemum racemosum) can be identified by the plume of flowers at the end of the stem. 

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Greater Celandine

Greater Celandine (Chelidonium majus L. celandine)
You may remember an earlier post about the invasive Lesser Celandine - the invasive plant which hang out riverside pretending to be the native Marsh Marigold, the only thing these two have in common is the color of their flowers (and the name). This is also a non-native species and as with most introduced plants it comes with a wide list of medicinal properties (there's a reason many settlers brought along helpful plants from their homeland). 

• It was a drug plant in the Middle Ages and is mentioned by Pliny, to whom we owe the tradition that it is called Chelidonium from the Greek chelidon (a swallow), because it comes into flower when the swallows arrive and fades at their departure. (The English name Celandine is merely a corruption of the Greek word.)
• Its acrid juice has been employed successfully in removing films from the cornea of the eye, a property which Pliny tells us was discovered by swallows, this being a double reason why the plant should be named after these birds.
• Greater celandine is (potentially) used for various problems with the digestive tract including upset stomach, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, loss of appetite, stomach cancer, intestinal polyps, and liver and gallbladder disorders. Other uses include detoxification, treating menstrual cramps, cough, pain, fluid retention, “hardening of the arteries, high blood pressure, asthma, gout, and osteoarthritis. Some people apply greater celandine directly to the skin for warts, rashes, eczema, and scabies; and to the gums for tooth pain and to ease tooth extraction. The fresh root is also chewed to relieve toothache. **
• Early in the growing season this plant is easily confused with the native yellow wood poppy.

**information provided is not intended to be used to treat, diagnose, cure, or remedy any medical issues.