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Plant · P-983
Soapwort
Saponaria officinalis
Soapwort, also called Bouncingbet, is a spreading perennial whose foliage and roots lather into a gentle soap when simmered in water, once used to clean delicate antique textiles and still valued as a mild fabric wash and shampoo. Its fragrant pink or white flowers attract moths and butterflies through the evening. Deep, vigorous rhizomes let it colonize roadsides, streambanks and rough ground as a tough groundcover.
Record at a glance
Growing profile
- Sun
- Full Sun
- USDA zone
- USDA 3–8
- Soil
- Sand
- Moisture
- Dry · Moderate · Well-Drained
Vertical layer
Herbaceous- Soil pH
- 5–7
- Plant type
- Perennial
- Mature height
- 12–24 in
- Mature spread
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The deeper layer