#saponaria

[faguscarolinensis]

Saponaria ocymoides / Rock Soapwort at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens at Duke University in Durham, NC

[francescointoppa]

Saponaria rossa (Saponaria ocymoides L., Caryophyllaceae)

[mardelina]

🌼 @mardelina 🌼

[kiratakesphotos]

[therooteddiaries]

[wildflowers-of-southern-ontario]

Common Soapwort Saponaria officinalis Caryophyllaceae

Photographs taken on October 7, 2021, along the Culham Trail, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

[wenbochenphoto]

Soapwort of NE Turkey: Saponaria prostrata, what a cutie! 匍茎肥皂草

[katiajewelbox]

Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) is a wildflower that does “exactly what it says on the tin”. This wild plant of meadows and forests across Europe and Western Asia evolved high concentrations of the chemical saponin in its stems and roots to deter herbivores. While saponins are toxic if ingested by humans and other animals, these chemicals are very useful for cleaning because they cause grease and fats to dissolve in water. These chemicals are called surfactants, and synthetic versions are found in soap, washing up liquid, shampoo, and shower gel. In the past, country folk made their own cleaning products for wool and other delicate textiles using soapwort.