Soapwort
Soapwort: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
Common soapwort, Saponaria officinalis, is an herbaceous perennial in the pink family, Caryophyllaceae. It is also known as bouncing bet. Native to parts of Europe and Asia, it is familiar for upright stems and clusters of pale flowers. Its name refers to saponins present in the plant, substances associated with its former use as a washing agent. This historical use is distinct from the ornamental features for which it appears in gardens.Stems are straight and generally smooth, sometimes tinged red. They often reach several tens of centimetres and can approach a metre in suitable conditions. Simple leaves grow in opposite pairs. Oval to lance-shaped, they have smooth edges and several conspicuous lengthwise veins. The leaves accompany the stems along their height, creating a contrast between fairly broad foliage and the finer branching of the flower clusters. This arrangement helps distinguish the plant’s vegetative appearance.Flowers have a tubular calyx and five…
