Rhizomatous perennial of the Asparagaceae family, present in much of temperate Europe and Asia, from the Iberian Peninsula to Japan. It is native to France, where it grows in cool and shaded undergrowth, deciduous forests on deep, humus-rich soils, from sea level to the lower mountain levels.
The stems are arched, cylindrical and smooth — this cylindrical characteristic of the stem distinguishes it from Polygonatum odoratum, whose stem is angular. They reach 30 to 60 cm in height, bearing alternate, oval-elliptical leaves, of a bright green, arranged in two rows and giving the plant an elegantly combed silhouette.
The flowers, tubular, greenish-white, hang in groups of two to five at the leaf axils, suspended on fine peduncles. They emit a slight fragrance. The berries that follow are a deep blue-black, toxic.
In its natural habitat, its flowering extends from May to June. In cultivation, it blooms at the same dates depending on the local climate.
It requires a cool, drained soil, rich in humus, in shade or partial shade. Hardy and undemanding once established, it is suitable for woodland gardens and shaded compositions where its arched habit and the regularity of its foliage constitute a discreet structural asset.