Scientific Family
Caryophyllaceae
Synonyms
Lychnis saponaria
Other common names
soapwort
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Introduced
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
To 3 feet
Riparian
Yes
Leafy, erect stems growing in patches and topped with fairly dense clusters of many sweetly scented, white or pink flowers. In former times, the leaves were soaked or boiled in water to create a liquid soap.
Hairless perennial often forming large patches; stems erect, simple or few branched; leaf stem often absent or winged; blades strongly veined, oval to long and tapering; flower clusters dense to open, white or pink flowers are sometimes double.
Habitat
Waste places, streamsides, fields and roadsides.
Plant Community
Riparian
Disturbed Areas
Low elevation
0
High elevation
8500
Flower Characteristics
Flowers are clustered at the ends of the main stem and branches. The 5 flower petals are white to pink and are slightly notched at the ends. The flower petals are at the end of a green, tubular calyx.
Flower color
White to pink
Flower shape
Regular
Tubular
Yes
First bloom month
June
Last bloom month
September
Flower clusters
Rounded
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
The leaves are 1-1/2 to 5 inches long and broadly lance shaped with three distinct veins from the base.
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Narrow
Leaf margin
Smooth
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
None
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Capsules are brown and contain many seeds.
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit color
Brown
Seeds are purplish to black.