Mistwalker
Gold Member
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2007
- Messages
- 18,959
I was out taking photos for my database, and for a blog post on plant lore and the need to be aware of any look-alikes when foraging. I chose, because of the availability and ease of use, to go with Solomon's Seal and False Solomon's Seal for that discussion. I never now which photos I am going to like best for blog posts, so I always take more than I need just to make sure I have what I need to illustrate what I am trying to say with the text. I have a pretty extensive series of photos on these two plants in my data base, and borrowed a few of those for this post, but then realized I had the making of a decent post on Solomon's Seal versus False Solomon's Seal, Fiddleback Forge style. So I thought I should post that up here.
Both are in the same plant family, Asparagaceae. Both have been used as food sources in different ways by different cultures in different countries, though I have only ever had the shoots of the Solomon's Seal as a food. Both have been used medicinally to treat different ailments. I am not qualified to teach the uses, but I think I can help people who have researched their uses, positively identify them, and distinguish between the two. The two plants do have some similarities, but they also have some very distinct differences that make it easy to tell one from the other.
The first photo is a mature Solomon's Seal plant, and the second is a mature False Solomon's Seal plant. You can see some of the similarities and differences. They have similar appearing leaves, and they both grow in an arch, but there are differences in the size and shape of the leaves, and in where the fruit is produced.
Solomon's Seal shoots come out of the ground in a tight bud. The leaves grow telescopically from this bud, and the flower stems unfold with the leaves as they grow, and hang below the stem of the plant at the bases of the leaves. Even in the early stages of growth the flowers stand out in a light at night. The flowers grow, get pollinated by bees and possibly other insects. Then the flowers become green berries, which in time turn a dark blue-ish green. The Solomon's Seal plants here typically lose their berries long before they lose their leaves.
The False Solomon's Seal grows one leaf at a time from the end of the shoot as it grows. The flower is produced at the very end of the stem when it has grown to its full length. The flower is pollinated by various insects, and the berries are produced there at the tip of the plant. They start off as spotted green berries, but in time turn mostly pink and then red. The False Solomon's Seal tends to lose its leaves long before it loses its berries.
In the second photo in this series you can see both at the same time, with the False Solomon's Seal on the far left of the shot.
To get to the rhizome it's best to have something to did with. For this I used a small section of seasoned bamboo, a leftover from another project I am working on. I have been enjoying using and testing the 3/32 A2 Tool Steel. The Gaucho is really light and nimble to use. The thin sharp blade encounters less resistance in cutting than the thicker blades I have. It's great paired with a heavier tool for rougher uses, and made quick work of cutting the seasoned bamboo. Making a digging stick is another are where the ring-and-break technique comes in handy, even with bamboo. I also love the fine point of the Gaucho for fine work. By making the bowl at a joint in the bamboo, and cutting the whole top out of it, makes it easier to get the dirt back out. For digging up roots and tubers, I suggest blunting the end of the digging stick so you can feel the root, rather that just cut through it before you even see it.
To get to the rhizomes, you clear the debris away from the base of the stem, and slowly and carefully remove the dirt until you can see the rhizome and the direction it is traveling. Wiggling the stem gently as you dig will help determine the direction the rhizome is running.
The rhizomes themselves have other distinct differences in shape, color, and texture that helps o distinguish the two plants. As do the lower stems, if you remember King Solomon, and that the colors blue and purple have commonly been associated with royalty.
So here are the parts of both plats, False Solomon's Seal on the upper left, and actual Solomon's Seal on the lower right. I think that every important distinction between the two is illustrated by this photo. As I said, I do not feel qualified to tell you how to use these plants correctly, so I won't because I don't want the liability if someone has an allergic reaction to one of them. I share this information because others like to experiment with plant lore as much as I do. And since one rhizome has been used as an edible starch (much like a potato), and the other has allegedly been used in the past as a laxative, being able to distinguish between the two might be a good idea should you decide to experiment during a survival situation
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Both are in the same plant family, Asparagaceae. Both have been used as food sources in different ways by different cultures in different countries, though I have only ever had the shoots of the Solomon's Seal as a food. Both have been used medicinally to treat different ailments. I am not qualified to teach the uses, but I think I can help people who have researched their uses, positively identify them, and distinguish between the two. The two plants do have some similarities, but they also have some very distinct differences that make it easy to tell one from the other.
The first photo is a mature Solomon's Seal plant, and the second is a mature False Solomon's Seal plant. You can see some of the similarities and differences. They have similar appearing leaves, and they both grow in an arch, but there are differences in the size and shape of the leaves, and in where the fruit is produced.
Solomon's Seal shoots come out of the ground in a tight bud. The leaves grow telescopically from this bud, and the flower stems unfold with the leaves as they grow, and hang below the stem of the plant at the bases of the leaves. Even in the early stages of growth the flowers stand out in a light at night. The flowers grow, get pollinated by bees and possibly other insects. Then the flowers become green berries, which in time turn a dark blue-ish green. The Solomon's Seal plants here typically lose their berries long before they lose their leaves.
The False Solomon's Seal grows one leaf at a time from the end of the shoot as it grows. The flower is produced at the very end of the stem when it has grown to its full length. The flower is pollinated by various insects, and the berries are produced there at the tip of the plant. They start off as spotted green berries, but in time turn mostly pink and then red. The False Solomon's Seal tends to lose its leaves long before it loses its berries.
In the second photo in this series you can see both at the same time, with the False Solomon's Seal on the far left of the shot.
To get to the rhizome it's best to have something to did with. For this I used a small section of seasoned bamboo, a leftover from another project I am working on. I have been enjoying using and testing the 3/32 A2 Tool Steel. The Gaucho is really light and nimble to use. The thin sharp blade encounters less resistance in cutting than the thicker blades I have. It's great paired with a heavier tool for rougher uses, and made quick work of cutting the seasoned bamboo. Making a digging stick is another are where the ring-and-break technique comes in handy, even with bamboo. I also love the fine point of the Gaucho for fine work. By making the bowl at a joint in the bamboo, and cutting the whole top out of it, makes it easier to get the dirt back out. For digging up roots and tubers, I suggest blunting the end of the digging stick so you can feel the root, rather that just cut through it before you even see it.
To get to the rhizomes, you clear the debris away from the base of the stem, and slowly and carefully remove the dirt until you can see the rhizome and the direction it is traveling. Wiggling the stem gently as you dig will help determine the direction the rhizome is running.
The rhizomes themselves have other distinct differences in shape, color, and texture that helps o distinguish the two plants. As do the lower stems, if you remember King Solomon, and that the colors blue and purple have commonly been associated with royalty.
So here are the parts of both plats, False Solomon's Seal on the upper left, and actual Solomon's Seal on the lower right. I think that every important distinction between the two is illustrated by this photo. As I said, I do not feel qualified to tell you how to use these plants correctly, so I won't because I don't want the liability if someone has an allergic reaction to one of them. I share this information because others like to experiment with plant lore as much as I do. And since one rhizome has been used as an edible starch (much like a potato), and the other has allegedly been used in the past as a laxative, being able to distinguish between the two might be a good idea should you decide to experiment during a survival situation
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