Kentucky Plant Atlas




Cultivated    No county information
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Ruscaceae [Liliaceae**] Polygonatum odoratum
Polygonatum odoratum (Mill.) Druce
ALI: EU HAB: n/a, n/a, n/a, n/a ABU: n/a, n/a, 0
This widespread Eurasian species, or the hybrid with cosely related P. multiflorum (L.) All,, is often cultivated as an ornamental or medicinal plant, especially a variegated form. Some escape or persistence from cultivation has been reported in northeastern regions of North America but none in Ky. or adjacent states (FNA 26, K, W). Distinction from native species may be difficult; there are virtually no accessible published keys. S. Mahr has assembled useful notes and images of cultivated plants in Wisconsin (at hort.extension.wisc.edu). The genus has an ancient history of medicinal uses, and the rhizomes can be prepared for human food (Zhao et al. 2018).