Saponaria officinalis L.

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Saponaria officinalis

Photo: Bart Wursten
6, Stafford Rd, Hillcrest, Bulawayo

Saponaria officinalis

Photo: Bart Wursten
6, Stafford Rd, Hillcrest, Bulawayo

Saponaria officinalis

Photo: Bart Wursten
6, Stafford Rd, Hillcrest, Bulawayo

Saponaria officinalis

Photo: Bart Wursten
6, Stafford Rd, Hillcrest, Bulawayo

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms:
Common names: Common soapwort (English)
Description: Perennial herb with 1-several unbranched stems, up to 70 cm. Leaves opposite, sessile, oblong-elliptic to lanceolate, 4-12 cm long, hairless; margin entire. Flowers c. 2.5 cm in diameter, in dense terminal heads. Calyx tubular up to 2 cm long, cylindric with 5 reddish teeth. Petals 5, pink or white.
Notes: Commonly planted as a garden ornamental and known as a very occasional naturalized escape.
Derivation of specific name: officinalis: used in medicine.
Flowering time:Oct - Mar
Worldwide distribution: Native to southern Europe and Asia as far as western Siberia. Naturalized in many regions of the world.
Growth form(s):
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Image last updated: Friday 2 April 2010
Literature:

Other sources of information about Saponaria officinalis:

Our websites:

Flora of Malawi: cultivated Saponaria officinalis
Flora of Zimbabwe: Saponaria officinalis

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Saponaria officinalis
African Plant Database: Saponaria officinalis
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Saponaria officinalis
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Saponaria officinalis
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Saponaria officinalis
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Saponaria officinalis
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Saponaria officinalis
JSTOR Plant Science: Saponaria officinalis
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Saponaria officinalis
Plants of the World Online: Saponaria officinalis
Tropicos: Saponaria officinalis
Wikipedia: Saponaria officinalis


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Zimbabwe: Cultivated Plants: Species information: Saponaria officinalis.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/cult/species.php?species_id=123410, retrieved 28 March 2024

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