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Saponaria officinalis
Also called Common soapwort, Soapwort, Bouncing Bet, Bouncingbet Soapweed, Soapwort, Bouncingbet, Sweet Betty, Bladder Soapwort
Saponaria officinalis, common soapwort, is a hardy perennial in the pink family with fragrant pink or white flowers that open in the evening. It is a spreading plant grown for its cleaning saponins and its look in wild and cottage gardens.
Saponaria officinalis is a common perennial plant from the family Caryophyllaceae. This plant has many common names, including common soapwort, bouncing-bet, crow soap, and soapweed. There are about 20 species of soapworts altogether.
The scientific name Saponaria is derived from the Latin sapo (stem sapon-) meaning "soap", which, like its common name, refers to its utility in cleaning. From this same Latin root is derived the name of the toxic substances saponins found in many plants, including a specific saporin saponarin contained in the roots at levels up to 20 percent when the plant is flowering (Indian soapnuts contain only 15 percent). The flowers colouring likely reflects the chemical environment of saponarin. Saponins produce a lather when in contact with water. The epithet officinalis indicates its medicinal functions.
Saponaria officinalis contains several saponins, which are ribosome-inactivating proteins. Amongst the saponins isolated with this property are isoform 6 of saponarin (SO6, saponin S6) from the seeds, and saporin-L1 (SAP) from the leaves. Saponariosides A,B, C, D, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, and M , vaccaroside D, dianchinenoside B, hydroxygypsogenic acid derivative compounds 1 and 2 and gypsogenic acid derivative compound 3 have been isolated from the whole plant or roots.
The many compounds responsible for the floral scent (predominantly methyl benzoate), and that compose essential oil extracts from the plant have also been characterised.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Saponaria officinalis by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
