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Saponaria ocymoides or as it is more commonly known the Rock soapwort is a tough little perennial plant. This native to southern Europe and south west Asia is most closely related to the Lychnis and Silene. It is very similar in appearance to creeping phlox. Like the creeping phlox it has a low, trailing, growing habit getting no higher than one foot with a three foot wide spread. It is used mostly in rock gardens or as a ground cover. It looks especially lovely trailing over a garden wall or stuck in little pockets on a succulent or herb covered stone wall.
Soapwort is relatively hardy, growing almost anywhere except in hot, humid summer areas. It can even take some light foot traffic. It prefers full sun but will grow in just about any well-drained garden soil. It gets by quite happily with moderate water. Nothing much in the way of insects or diseases ever bother this little darling unless you consider a few caterpillars munching on it bothersome. Rock soapwort just so happens to be the exclusive larvae food of certain butterflies, the Lepidoptera species in particular. If you like these butterflies it’s something worth growing if only for that.
This plant has dark green, stiff, oval-shaped leaves and in the spring the entire thing gets covered with small five-petaled flowers more commonly available in clear pink. The “Alba” is a white flower form and the “Rubra Compacta” has a deeper pink color. Rare but still possible to acquire is the yellow color and a pale lavender flower form.
Saponaria officinalis, also called Bouncing Bet, is a soapwort variety that grows a bit taller at two feet high. This one spreads by underground runners. This also has dark green leaves but flowers in mid-summer instead of the spring. The flowers are an inch across and grow in loose clusters. Flowers come in pink, white or red. The “Rosea Plena” has double flowers in a pale pink color and the “Rubra Plena” has bright crimson blossoms which turn a paler color as they age.
Rock Soapwort gets it’s name from the fact that when rubbed vigorously with water it produces suds just like soap. I’ve tried it and it really does work. It’s quite impressive. Perhaps this is the reason it is known as an herb. During the Renaissance the leaves or roots were used as soap and to this day it is still used by museum conservators to clean delicate fabric which would otherwise be harmed by modern soaps or commercial products. It also supposedly makes a nice shampoo.
Whether used as a border plant in the herb garden, cascading over a garden wall or tucked into a rock garden Saponaria, Rock Soapwort, would make a very pretty addition to your yard. It is a pretty and curious little plant and not very demanding at all. We could all use a few plants like that in our gardens.
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Author Bio Box: Glory Lennon
 For more garden talk, funny short stories and romantic novel excerpts visit http://www.helium.com/users/32782
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