The herbaceous annual, biennial and perennial plant soapwort, also called saponaria, is a member of the Cloveaceae family. According to information taken from various sources, this genus includes 15–40 species, but only 9 of them are cultivated. Under natural conditions, such a plant can be found in Eurasia. The name of this genus comes from the Latin word translated as “soap”, this is due to the fact that the root system of the plant has the ability to form foam due to the fact that it contains saponins.
Characteristics of soapwort
The plant has a highly developed root system, directly from which trunks or shoots extend vertically.
In some species, the direction of their growth is horizontal. They are covered with greenish skin, in some varieties smooth and shiny, in others covered with villi, growing very often and covering the entire trunk. The height of the trunks in the most developed species reaches up to eighty centimeters. The leaves are green and can have different shapes. Some take the shape of an oval, elongated along a horizontal axis, others resemble lancets, and there are other leaf shapes. The tops of some are sharp, while others have a smooth, rounded shape.
The flowers are pink, purple, rarely white, and consist of five wedge-shaped petals and a bunch of stamens protruding from the center. Collected in loose, numerous inflorescences containing up to a dozen flowers.
The fruit is an elongated capsule with tiny coal-colored seeds, of which there are a great many.
Preparing saponaria for winter
The frost resistance of a plant depends on its variety. Some crops tolerate severe frosts well, while others do not.
If the region where saponaria grows has cold and snowless winters, then it is best to cover the plant with dry leaves or spruce branches. Thus, the root system will be reliably protected from freezing.
Types and varieties
Soapwort officinalis: botanical description, properties, photo of the plant
Soapwort officinalis - in the wild, the plant grows in Europe, Asia, the Caucasus, the Mediterranean and Siberia. It reaches a height of up to 900 centimeters. The leaf blades are long, dark green, oval-lanceolate or elliptical with a sharp tip. They are separated by three veins. Inflorescences are white or pink. They are located on short stalks and have a pleasant aroma.
Soapwort Basilica - in the wild, the culture grows in the Alps and is a profusely flowering perennial with creeping shoots that form a soft cushion, up to 15 centimeters high. The leaf blades have a matte green tint and an oval-linear shape. The inflorescences are umbellate, consisting of small, pleasantly smelling pinkish-red inflorescences.
Soapwort Inspiration - the plant has a cushion-like shape, which is formed due to shoots creeping along the ground. The height of the crop can reach up to 30 centimeters. Flowering time occurs in mid-summer. The leaf blades are dark green, elliptical in shape with a sharp end. The inflorescences are pleasant-smelling, white or pinkish, collected in umbrellas.
Saponaria Camilla - the plant is a low-growing variety and reaches a height of up to 15 centimeters. The leaf blades are long, dark green, elliptical in shape with slight pubescence. The inflorescences are umbellate, consisting of small pink flowers.
Common soapwort
In the wild, the culture grows in Siberia, the Caucasus, Europe and Asia. The bush reaches a height of up to 900 centimeters and has dark green, elliptical leaf plates with a pointed end. The inflorescences are fragrant, consisting of pink or white flowers.
Moondust soapwort - grows in its natural habitat in the Alps. The plant is a profusely flowering perennial with creeping stems with dark green, narrow elliptical leaves. The height of the crop reaches up to 20 centimeters. The inflorescences are umbellate, consisting of dark pink small flowers with a pleasant aroma.
Olivana soapwort - this type of garden hybrid crop was obtained by crossing a dwarf and turf soapwort variety. The plant has the shape of a dense pillow with dark green foliage, reaching a width of up to 20 centimeters and a height of up to 5 centimeters. Flowering time occurs in mid-summer. The inflorescences are umbellate, pleasantly scented, pinkish in color.
Bressingham soapwort is a herbaceous groundcover perennial that reaches a height of up to 40 centimeters and grows in the form of dense cushions with dense gray-green foliage. The inflorescences are dark pink with a pleasant, sweetish aroma. Blooms throughout the summer.
Soapwort Rosea Plena is a profusely flowering varietal variety with light pink double inflorescences. The plant reaches a height of up to 50 centimeters. The leaf blades are dark green, elliptical with a pointed end. The inflorescences are highly decorative and have a pleasant aroma. Their unusualness lies not only in the double petals, but also in the variety of shades, which range from white to pinkish-crimson.
Soapwort Groundcover
In the wild, the plant grows in the Pyrenees. The bush reaches a height of up to 15 centimeters. The leaf blades are glossy, dark green, lanceolate-linear. The inflorescences are light pink, with a pleasant sweetish aroma. The flowering time of the crop falls in mid-summer.
Soapwort Pink Lawn is a lushly flowering, ornamental herbaceous perennial. During growth, it forms dense cushions reaching up to 20 centimeters, with long creeping shoots. The leaf blades of the plant are narrow, green, oval-linear in shape. The inflorescences are umbellate, pinkish-red.
Soapwort Pumila - the culture reaches a height of up to 40 centimeters and has narrow, dark green elliptical leaf plates with a pointed end. The inflorescences have an unusual shape and a purple-burgundy hue. The flowering time of the crop lasts all summer.
Soapwort Perennial - reaches a height of up to 100 centimeters and has dark green, oblong-oval leaf plates with a pointed end. The inflorescences are umbrella-shaped, white-pink with a pleasant aroma. Flowering time occurs in mid-summer. After the crop has flowered, seed pods with dark, small seeds are formed.
What plants does it go with?
This ground cover plant is ideal for alpine slides. Basilica soapwort is able to quickly fill crevices and climb rocky walls. This perennial can also be used to decorate borders and edgings.
Soapwort basilica can be combined with:
- mountain bell;
- sage;
- saxifrage;
- peg;
- edelweiss;
- Iberis;
- low-growing phloxes;
- sunflower.
Important! Different varieties of perennials that differ in the shade of their petals look good in mixed plantings.
Types and varieties of soapwort with photos and names
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In nature, up to 40 species of soapwort are found; about 10 species with varieties and varieties are cultivated. Let's look at the best of them.
Soapwort or common soapwort Saponaria officinalis
Saponaria officinalis 'Rosea Plena' photo
The most popular type. The height of the plant reaches 90 cm, the bush gradually spreads, but it is compact and looks airy. The leaf blades are long - about 12 cm, oblong in shape, densely covering the stems. The diameter of the flowers is about 3 cm, the colors are snow-white and pink. The species is resistant to low temperatures and grows well in any soil. Shade planting is preferred.
Varieties:
Flore Pleno – double inflorescences of a creamy pink hue;
Betty Arnold – double, snow-white flowers;
Variegata - distinguished by variegated leaf colors;
Dazzler – variegated variety, pink flowers;
Alba Plena, Rubra Plena, Rosea Plena - a group of varieties characterized by dense inflorescences, white, pink, purple colors.
Saponaria ocymoides
Saponaria ocymoides photo
It is a ground cover. The height of the stems barely reaches 30 cm, they are densely covered with small oval-shaped leaves. The diameter of the corollas is 1 cm, the colors are pink and lilac. To ensure that the mat grows well and delights with lush flowering, plant it in an area with well-drained, neutral soil. Do not allow the soil to become waterlogged; it will tolerate short-term drought. Grows best in light shade.
Varieties:
Rubra Compacta – deep pink inflorescences;
Splendens – the shade of the inflorescences is calm pink;
Snow Tip - during the flowering period, the bush is covered with a snow-white cap of inflorescences.
Saponaria x olivana
Saponaria x olivana 'Bressingham Pink' photo
A hybrid bred specifically for growing on alpine hills. The height of the stems is about 10 cm, dense cushions grow in diameter by 20 cm. The goblet-shaped corollas have 5 petals, the shade of the inflorescences is pink, lilac.
Soddy soapwort Saponaria caespitosa
Saponaria caespitosa photo
The height of the stems is 7-15 cm, they become woody at the base. The leaves are oval, smooth. The inflorescences have a soft pink hue.
Soapwort Lempergii Saponaria x lempergii photo
Medium-sized hybrid form (height is about 40 cm). The stems are erect, branch well, and covered with elongated leaf blades. The color of the inflorescences varies from light pink to deep lilac.
When and how does it bloom
Types of flowers
Despite the similarity of general characteristics, soapworts of different species may differ in flowering. There are plants with ordinary five-petal flowers, and there are luxurious double-flowered representatives of the family. There are flowers reaching a diameter of 4 cm, but most still have flowers of a rather modest appearance and size.
Flower shapes
Soapwort flowers can be of different colors, the shape of the inflorescences is similar in all species.
Flowering period
Basilica soapwort blooms in two waves, delighting the gardener with a lush flower cap almost all summer.
Some plant varieties have a particularly beautiful, sophisticated “appearance”, for example, such as the hybrid Rosea Glena
Changes in care during the flowering period
To ensure abundant, lush, and long flowering, it is recommended to feed the plant with complex fertilizers during this period.
Soapwort. Growing from seeds
Indoor gerbera: care, growing from seeds and flowering in the photo
If you have quality seed, you need to put in a little more effort to grow this beautiful plant. Soapwort seeds are very small, for example, in 1 g of basilica soapwort there are more than 600 seeds! It is easier to grow seeds for seedlings, so that later the stronger plants can be transplanted into open ground. This needs to be done in March, but if you are late, then in June under a cold greenhouse or a well-prepared bed.
You can take a chance and sow the seeds in open ground in May, only then you must cover the seed with soil mixture. If seeds are planted in the spring, in order to maintain moisture in the soil, the plants are covered with glass and kept at a certain temperature. So, the room should not be cool, the optimal temperature is +20 degrees, then seedlings can be expected in 2-3 weeks.
When the seeds germinate, they need to be prepared and the temperature reduced slightly. If the room is +20, lower the temperature by 5 degrees. Young, strong plants are ready for planting in a permanent place at the end of May, or if this period is missed, then at the end of summer.
When planting seedlings, a distance of 25, maximum 30 cm is maintained. Flowering of these seedlings should be expected only next year.
Depending on the plant variety and the timing of planting soapwort, you can either prevent self-seeding or, conversely, wait until the seed collection period. If the seeds are not needed, then the flower stalks will have to be removed in a timely manner. Non-double varieties of plants are propagated by seeds, and terry varieties are propagated by vegetative means.
Collection and preparation
The collection of raw materials begins when the ground parts wither, around the beginning of October. The soapwort is dug up along with the roots. The underground part of the plant is washed well and cut into small pieces (no more than 3 cm). Drying of roots occurs at a temperature of no more than 50°C. The herbal part of the plant can be harvested throughout the entire flowering period. It is also dried at a temperature of 50°C. Finished raw materials can be stored in a dry place for no more than 1 year.
Planting soapwort in open ground
When to plant soapwort in the ground
Seedlings are planted in open ground when the weather is warm and the soil in the garden has warmed up well. Typically, such conditions develop by mid-May. Before transplanting, seedlings must undergo hardening procedures that last 10-14 days: seedlings are taken out into the open air every day, gradually increasing the duration of walks until they can spend 24 hours a day in the garden. During hardening, it is necessary to protect seedlings from drafts, sharp gusts of wind and precipitation.
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How to plant soapwort
Planting and caring for soapwort in the garden is not a burdensome task, since this crop grows and blooms even without any care. However, if you want to see the saponaria in its best form, choose a site for it in bright sun or light partial shade. Soapwort needs loose, dry, fertilized, drained and limed soil.
Since saponaria naturally grows in the mountains, add sand, small pebbles and bone meal (slaked lime or calcite) to the soil on the site.
When planting, soapwort seedlings are placed at a distance of 30 cm from each other: over time they will grow and cover all available space. After planting, the area is watered.
Application in landscape design
Saponaria is a classic ground cover. The plant is used to create lush floral carpets next to the path, near garden trees and shrubs, and to decorate remote corners of the garden.
Soapwort goes well with different colors:
- aconite;
- phlox;
- sage;
- dahlias.
The plant is ideal for rock gardens and rockeries, as the abundant inflorescences look elegant against a neutral rocky background. Below are some photos for inspiration:
- Mixborder along the road.
- Creeping soapwort hanging from a small height.
- Wall decoration.
- Flower carpet along the fence.
- Soapwort in the rock garden.
Description of Soapwort officinalis
Health, happiness, love to you, reader!
A perennial plant from the Clove family, which is popularly called soap root, is often used to decorate garden plots. Soapwort reaches a height of 30-90 cm, has a thick red-brown rhizome and a mass of thin and long creeping roots (up to 35 cm long).
The stem is branched, the leaves are on short petioles, sharp, with three veins, elliptical in shape. Each soapwort flower is located in a capitate inflorescence. The flowers are pink or white, of five petals, large, located on short stalks. The inflorescences emit a pleasant aroma and appear in summer (usually in July and August). Soapwort seeds are dark, small, and ripen by the end of August.
The plant is widespread in Ukraine, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Kazakhstan, and throughout Russia. In Europe, it is found mainly in Mediterranean countries. Prefers river banks, forest edges, thickets, and wastelands. You should not confuse Soapwort with other species of the genus, because there are more than 10 of them in Russia alone.
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Other popular names for the plant are:
- Tatar soap
- Clean
- Cuckoo soap
- Bubble
- White carnation
- Bobovnik
- field violet
- Joint
- Dog soap, etc.
In past times, the roots of the plant were used instead of soap. All parts, especially underground ones, wash well, and even now are included in many shampoos and dishwashing detergents. The rhizomes produce high-quality eco-friendly products for washing delicate items, removing stains, and cleaning dirty surfaces. In some countries, the plant is used for the production of insecticides, and veterinarians use it as an emetic and antiparasitic agent. Even in cooking, soapwort roots are used to make sparkling wines, soda, beer and halva.
Medicinal properties of soapwort officinalis
Soapwort officinalis for washing hair plant photo
Soapwort or medicinal soapwort has a set of useful substances: pectins, glycosides, ascorbic acid, carbohydrates, tannins, minerals, essential oil, mucus and resins. This determines the ability to have an expectorant, choleretic, diaphoretic and diuretic effect, and an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effect is also observed. The drugs are taken in the treatment of diseases of the kidneys, bladder, liver and spleen, for diseases of the upper respiratory tract, to normalize metabolism, and are used to treat skin diseases.
All parts of the plant are medicinal raw materials.
The use of soapwort for the treatment of diseases:
- A decoction of soapwort roots is taken in the treatment of eczema, to improve the condition of the body in case of liver diseases. Grind the roots of the plant (about 10 g), pour a glass of boiling water, simmer for 5 minutes over low heat, strain. Take 0.5 cup three times a day. For a sore throat, gargle with a decoction.
- You can prepare a general strengthening drink: take 1 teaspoon of raw materials (chopped rhizomes, herbs, flowers), pour 1 glass of boiling water, leave for 3 hours. Take 1 glass a day, if you have a cough – 2 glasses. In combination with chamomile decoction, they are used for washing wounds and compresses.
Soapwort officinalis for washing hair
Also, a decoction of soapwort is used to wash hair: for 100 grams of raw material, you need to boil 1 liter of water, pour in and cook for half an hour. You need to let the broth cool to a pleasant warmth and wash your hair with it: it is quite a soapy substance, and at the same time beneficial for the hair and scalp.
Features of care
Soapwort is easy to care for and is therefore often called the lazy gardener's plant. But you should take into account certain growing features if you decide to plant plants in open ground:
- It is necessary to use only dry soil. This means that watering should be done quite rarely, but good drainage should be created.
- Every year you will need to trim the flower by a third, so you can ensure that the bushes spread along the ground.
- The soil needs to be loosened very well so that the roots get fresh air.
- Saponaria is very hardy, but in cold winters with little snow it can freeze. To avoid this problem, it is necessary to provide good shelter. The plant can tolerate frosts well, reaching up to -21 degrees Celsius.
It is worth noting that this plant reproduces quite quickly using seeds. That is why, if there is no desire to spread a large number of plants throughout the entire area, then in September you will have to remove all the boxes containing seeds.
Content
- General information
- Types and varieties
- Saponaria planting and care in open ground
- Watering soapwort
- Soil for saponaria
- Soapwort transplant
- Fertilizer for saponaria
- Saponaria flowering
- Pruning soapwort
- Preparing saponaria for winter
- Saponaria growing from seeds
- Reproduction of saponaria by dividing the bush
- Soapwort propagation by cuttings
- Diseases and pests
- Soapwort medicinal properties
- Conclusion
Medicinal properties and uses
The soapy properties of saponaria are explained by the presence of a substance called saponins. But the use of the plant is not limited to this. If you create a healing decoction from the roots, then this folk remedy can be used to treat liver diseases, eczema and dermatitis.
Saponaria can also be used very effectively as an expectorant. Often traditional healers use it to relieve their patients of cough or bronchitis. To properly make a decoction, you need to use several tablespoons of crushed roots, which are poured with 0.5 liters of boiled water. After this, you need to put the solution on the stove and boil for 5 minutes.
Saponaria is often added to various preparations that can be used to cleanse the blood. It is also worth noting that the plant has a laxative and diuretic effect.
Tea made from soapwort will be very useful. To prepare, you need to use one teaspoon of the plant, and then pour boiling water over it and leave for 3 hours. The resulting broth should be brought to its original volume by adding boiling water to the glass. If a person is suffering from a severe cough, then he needs to take two glasses of tea a day. But if you also add a decoction of chamomile to this composition, you get a very effective remedy that can be used for washing and compresses. The plant is also necessary for those people who suffer from bloating.
To prepare a medicine for such ailments, you will need to use 5 grams of roots, 3 g of celandine and 10 g of St. John's wort. One tablespoon of the collection must be poured into a glass of boiled water, and then left for 30 minutes. The resulting decoction should be taken 3 glasses throughout the day. The same collection can be effectively used to treat gallstone disease.
Traditional physicians have been using the root of the plant for a long time to combat gastrointestinal disorders, as well as gas formation. Using a decoction, you can get rid of gout and rheumatism, as well as various skin diseases such as scaly lichen, eczema or furunculosis. To get rid of furunculosis, you need to take one teaspoon of the crushed root of the plant and pour it with one glass of boiled water. The solution must be infused for 4 hours. Take two tablespoons three times a day after meals.
It is also worth noting that with the help of herbal infusions you can combat sexually transmitted diseases quite effectively.
If there is a need for external use, then various ointments, lotions or mixtures that have a mushy appearance can be made. Using the flower powder, you can sprinkle on purulent wounds and erysipelas. The herb also softens breathing and can help eliminate severe wheezing that occurs with colds. Very often, folk herbalists use the leaves of the plant, which are collected during the flowering period. An infusion of leaves can normalize and cleanse the skin, as well as bring metabolism in the body back to normal.
Diuretic properties are used to treat edema and dropsy that are associated with liver or kidney disease. If there are any infectious diseases, then you can use the choleretic property of soapwort.
You need to know that the flower is poisonous, and therefore it is necessary to follow the correct dosage. Absolutely any medicine can be used only after consulting a doctor, and soapwort products are no exception. Planting and caring for saponaria is quite simple, and as a result, you can get a very beautiful perennial in your summer cottage, which spreads quite impressively throughout the entire territory.
There are several varieties, and gardeners will choose the right soapwort variety for themselves. Growing from Inspiration seeds is a fairly common choice of gardeners.
https://nasotke.pro/tsvety/tsvetok-saponarij-ili-mylnyanka
Growing and caring for the plant
It is believed that soapwort is one of the best types of ornamental plants for summer residents who do not have a lot of time to care
But it is extremely important to take into account several important nuances, which are as follows:
- It should be ensured that the soil under the saponaria is predominantly dry. That is why it is necessary to water the flower rarely. To ensure that water does not stagnate in the soil, good drainage should also be provided to remove liquid from the rhizome.
- To make the bushes more voluminous, you need to trim them by one third every year. In this case, new shoots will spread along the ground over a large area.
- The soil near the root of the flower should be loosened periodically. This affects oxygen getting into the ground. It is necessary for the plant to grow quickly and fully. If there is insufficient air supply to the soil, the flower will develop very slowly.
- Despite the fact that soapwort is very hardy, it can freeze in severe winters. This applies to those periods of cold season when there is a minimum amount of snow on the ground. It is believed that temperatures down to -21 degrees Celsius are acceptable air temperatures for saponaria. Despite this, it is best to cover the flower first.
Due to the fact that self-sowing seeds is the best way to propagate soapwort, every autumn you should cut off the boxes where they are located. This applies to those places where flower growth is not required.
Planting and caring for saponaria is a simple process that every summer resident or gardener can do. The main thing is to take into account a few recommendations from experienced gardeners who grow this very beautiful ornamental plant.
See interesting facts about the plant here:
Saponaria care
Soapwort requires moderate watering, since the flower has a negative attitude towards stagnation of water. Overwatering causes the roots to rot.
After adding moisture, the soil around the saponaria is carefully loosened. This ensures oxygen saturation of the root system. At the same time, all weeds are removed. To reduce the frequency of weeding, stones are placed near the soapwort.
When flowering ends, remove all dried areas of saponaria and shorten the shoots by a third. Fertilizing is carried out once in April, using mineral fertilizers containing a high percentage of phosphorus.
Flowering, shaping and pruning
Saponaria can bloom throughout almost the entire summer season. To form new beautiful shrubs and stimulate flowering, faded shoots are removed in September, and after the onset of frost, the rest are cut off.
Wintering
The winter hardiness of soapwort depends on its variety, but possible damage is prevented by covering the flower during cold weather. For these purposes, use fallen leaves or spruce branches.
Pests and diseases
Saponaria is highly resistant to insect attacks and diseases. The only parasite that causes trouble is the cutworm. The pest lays eggs on the trunk and seeds. To destroy pests, they are manually collected from soapwort.
Among the diseases, only a fungus is noted that causes leaf spot. And excessive watering leads to rotting of the root system. In both cases, the affected areas are removed and the flower is transplanted into a new pot.
Pests and diseases
Soapwort is a fairly resilient plant, but sometimes it is still affected by pests. Most often you can find cutworm caterpillars on it. The reticulated armyworm is a butterfly from the moth family.
Her mass flight during which she lays eggs most often occurs in June and July. Later, caterpillars hatch from them, the basis of their nutrition is the seed pods of the soapwort.
To combat caterpillars, various systemic insecticides are used.
The most common disease on saponaria is fungal leaf spot. Most often, their outbreak is observed at high humidity during prolonged rains or during excessive watering. To prevent further spread of the disease, treat with fungicides.
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If the plant has been overwatered, it is better to take measures so that the soil dries out faster. To do this, you should carefully loosen the area near the flower. If the weather is humid, it is better to prevent fungal diseases. For example, water the flower with a solution of manganese or the drug Fitosporin. As a preventive measure, we recommend ensuring that the soil is loose and well-drained before planting. To do this, sand, deoxidized peat, and sometimes old sawdust are added to the soil when planting. It is better not to plant such plants in lowlands. If, due to excess watering or precipitation, the rhizome of the plant begins to rot, it is better to remove it completely and treat the crops growing nearby with a fungicidal preparation. When spots appear on the crown, you need to cut off the affected areas, and treat the plant and the soil near it with Skor, Topaz or Fundazol. If plants are affected by one of the fungal or putrefactive diseases, you need to reconsider the method of cultivation and care. In addition to improper watering regime, the cause may be dense plantings or failure to comply with crop rotation rules. In addition to what has been described, we recommend carrying out preventive spraying of the entire garden in early spring and towards the end of autumn. You can use for this, for example, Bordeaux mixture or another copper-containing preparation.
Botanical description
The height of the plant is about 1 m; there are low-growing specimens that form dense clumps. The stems are erect or ascending, well branched, and can be smooth or covered with short fluff. The leaf blades are oblong, the base is wider and rounded, and the tops are pointed.
The corollas of the soapwort are five-petalled and decorated with long stamens. The color is snow-white, and the color range varies from soft pink to bright purple.
In the natural environment, saponaria can be found throughout Europe, on the rocky slopes of the Caucasus, western Siberia, and Crimea.
Soapwort is a hardy mountain plant: it is able to grow on heavy soils, adapts to any vagaries of nature, and is resistant to diseases and pests. A beautiful, lushly flowering plant survives without replanting for 8 years, maintaining its decorative appearance.
Possible problems in growing
The perennial is quite resistant to garden pests and plant diseases. It is practically not affected by classical diseases characteristic of garden crops. Still, it is worth paying attention to some points.
Problems with leaves
Leaves can be affected by a fungus, which becomes noticeable by the characteristic darkening of the leaves or their covering with brown spots. Usually the cause of the disease is excessive waterlogging of the soil. For the same reason, soapworts suffer from root rot. In case of damage, the plant must be cleared of diseased leaves; if the underground part is also damaged, then remove it completely.
How to care for soapwort in the garden
The soapwort is completely unpretentious in care; minimal manipulation is required.
- Water moderately: short-term drought is better than waterlogging. Stagnation of moisture can lead to rotting of the root system.
- Regularly rid the area of weeds. To limit the growth of weeds, the soil surface can be mulched with pebbles.
- To ensure air access to the root system, periodically loosen the soil.
- After the end of the flowering period, trim the shoots by 1/3 to give the bushes an attractive appearance.
There is no need for fertilizing. It is enough to apply complex mineral fertilizer in early spring (immediately after the snow melts). The proportion of phosphorus should predominate.
Characteristics of soapwort
The plant has a highly developed root system, directly from which trunks or shoots extend vertically. In some species, the direction of their growth is horizontal. They are covered with greenish skin, in some varieties smooth and shiny, in others covered with villi, growing very often and covering the entire trunk. The height of the trunks in the most developed species reaches up to eighty centimeters.
The leaves are green and can have different shapes. Some take the shape of an oval, elongated along a horizontal axis, others resemble lancets, and there are other leaf shapes. The tops of some are sharp, while others have a smooth, rounded shape.
The flowers are pink, purple, rarely white, and consist of five wedge-shaped petals and a bunch of stamens protruding from the center. Collected in loose, numerous inflorescences containing up to a dozen flowers.
The fruit is an elongated capsule with tiny coal-colored seeds, of which there are a great many.
Methods of growing and planting options for soapwort
In its natural habitat, saponaria grows on poor, rocky soils, which should be taken into account when choosing a site for planting.
The place should be sunny, because a lack of light causes the color of the flowers to become paler and more inconspicuous. It is possible to plant the plant in partial shade, but you will have to pay more attention to it and provide proper care.
The soil should not be too fertile, but limestone, but with good drainage, is best. It is needed to ensure that the soil does not become oversaturated with moisture, which is detrimental to the roots of the plant. Ideally, the soil should be loose, high in calcium and low in nitrogen. It is better to mulch the ground around the plantings with gravel or small crushed stone.
It is better to plant seedlings in the ground by removing the entire clod of soil from the cell, so as not to injure the small roots
Saponaria is propagated in three ways:
- seeds - you can plant it either as seedlings in March, or directly in open ground in May or late October;
- by dividing a large, well-grown bush - in the spring it is carefully dug up, divided into 2-3 parts and planted in prepared holes, where a little bone meal has been added in advance;
- by cutting the strongest and thickest stems before flowering - their tops are cut off, the lower leaves are removed and rooted in damp sand, and after the roots appear, the seedlings can be planted in open ground.
When using the seedling method, several drainage holes are made in a small container, then soil is poured. Seeds are planted in it, watered and covered with film or glass until the first shoots. As soon as the sprouts have hatched, the shelter is removed, and when the fourth leaf appears, the seedlings are planted in separate containers and provided with bright lighting. In May, young plants are planted in a permanent place.
Transplantation and propagation
A soapwort shrub can grow in the same place without replanting for quite a long time, about eight years. But, after this time, it must be moved to another prepared and fertile bed to rejuvenate the crop.
This is done by dividing the plant: in the spring, soapwort bushes are dug up extremely carefully so as not to damage the roots and divided into parts, which are planted in a new place. There the plant will develop intensively for the next eight years.
Saponaria reproduces by planting seedlings and sowing seeds. Of these two methods, the first is preferable.
Propagation by seeds
Propagation by seeds can be done by sowing them directly into the ground. This operation is performed at the end of autumn before the onset of the first frost. In this case, the planting site is carefully insulated for the winter and the plants sprout in early spring.
You can also sow seeds in the ground in the spring, to a depth of three centimeters, having previously prepared the soil, fertilized it and made a good drainage system. By mid-summer the plant will begin to bloom.
Growing seedlings
However, the method of growing saponaria from seedlings is more often used; it is more reliable and does not require much labor. In the middle of spring, the seeds are placed in seedling pots filled with a damp earthen mixture for flowers.
After this, they are sprinkled with sand, watered by spraying and covered with glass or film. Pots with seeds planted in them are placed in a room with good diffuse lighting and a temperature regime of around twenty degrees Celsius.
After the sprouts appear, the glass is removed and germination begins. The sprouts should be protected from the sun; drafts should not occur; periodic watering and careful loosening of the soil are required. Two weeks before planting the sprouts in the garden, they are hardened by placing the pots with them in the air, increasing the time they spend there.
At the end of the second week of hardening, the seedlings should be outdoors for 24 hours. At the same time, you need to reliably protect it from adverse weather conditions.
After the threat of night frosts in spring has passed and the soil has warmed up well enough, the seedlings are planted in the ground. This period begins in the central zone of our country at the end of May.
When planting young shoots, there should be a distance of at least thirty centimeters between them. After planting, the planted plants are carefully watered. By mid-summer, the seedlings will have already developed and begun to bloom.
With precise and timely observance of these simple rules for caring for saponaria, it will soon cover the entire area allocated to it with a lush carpet.
Recommended species and varieties
S. "Bressingham"
A dwarf perennial that produces dense cushions of foliage and flowers. Dark pink flowers about 1 cm in diameter bloom in early summer. The leaves are tempo green, oval, up to 2 cm long. Sometimes included in S. olivana hybrids. Winter hardiness has not been sufficiently studied, but, most likely, shelter is required in central Russia. The height and diameter of the plant is 5x15 cm.
Caespitosa (M. soddy)
The pink to purple flowers, about 1.5 cm in diameter, appear on upright stems in early summer. The leaves are quite fleshy, 2.5 cm long. In cold regions, the plant needs winter shelter. The height and diameter of the plant is 12.5x15 cm.
S. ocymoides (M. basilica)
Abundant, loose clusters of pink flowers bloom in early summer. The leaves are oval, fleecy, about 2 cm long. A strong but short-lived alpine perennial that reproduces by self-sowing and quickly covers the ground with a dense carpet. In central Russia it winters without shelter. The height and diameter of the plant is 10x45 cm.
Slow growing perennial with deep crimson flowers.
Officinalis (M. officinalis, M. vulgare)
Pinkish flowers, approximately 2.5 cm in diameter, bloom on straight, tall stems from late summer to mid-autumn. The plant grows quickly using thick underground rhizomes; it is also renewed by self-seeding (except for terry varieties). It resists weeds well and retains its territory for a long time.
Homeland - Europe. Cold resistance is very high. The height and diameter of the plant is 80x50 cm.
S. olivana (M. olive, M. olive)
A species of horticultural origin that arose from the hybridization of S. caespitosa and S. pumilio. Abundant light pink flowers, 2.5 cm in diameter, bloom in early summer at the tops of the stems. The leaves are green, about 2 cm long. In central Russia it freezes in some years. The height and diameter of the plant is 5 x 15 cm.
S. pumilio (syn. S. pulvinaris) (M. dwarf)
The 2.5 cm diameter pastel pink to purple flowers bloom above the dense mass of foliage in midsummer. The leaves are about 2 cm long. The height and diameter of the plant is 7.5x20 cm.
general information
Soapwort (Saponaria) is a perennial shrub whose height does not exceed 15-20 cm. Rich green foliage can form a carpet on the lawn.
Soapwort basilicofolia
The flowers are small, no more than 1-1.5 cm in diameter, but there are a lot of them. The flowers are tubular, collected in inflorescences of 10-15 pieces at the top of the shoot, or solitary, depending on the variety. The plant is quite unpretentious, frost and moisture resistant.
The flower got its name from the fact that the roots can foam in water. Thanks to the saponin substance contained in the roots, this plant can be used to produce medicines, household detergents, and is also used in cooking.
Medicines that are made from this plant include medications that help in the treatment and prevention of the respiratory tract and diseased joints. Also, based on this medicinal plant, preparations and decoctions are made that can improve the cleanliness of the skin.
For reference: in Russia the most common medicinal and basilico-leaved varieties of soapwort.
