Plant Image
Flower head
Lynx Creek Near Highlands Center - Sue Smith


Yavapai County Native & Naturalized Plants

Saponaria officinalis - bouncingbet

Synonyms: Lychnis saponaria
Other Common Names: soapwort
Plant Form: Forb or Subshrub

Family: Caryophyllaceae


   
 
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Flowers
Lynx Creek Near Highlands Center
Sue Smith
Flowers
Lynx Creek Near Highlands Center
Sue Smith
Leaves
Lynx Creek Near Highlands Center
Sue Smith
Leaves
Lynx Creek Near Highlands Center
Sue Smith
Leaf attachment
Lynx Creek Near Highlands Center
Sue Smith
Plant - summer
Lynx Creek Near Highlands Center
Sue Smith
Forb Plant Description

Origin: Introduced   Life Cycle: Perennial
General Desc: 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.
Identification notes: 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.
Height: To 3 feet


Habitat

Habitat Description: Waste places, streamsides, fields and roadsides.
Plant Communities: Riparian, Disturbed Areas
Elevation: Below 8500 feet


Flower Characteristics

Color: White to pink     Shape: Regular in round clusters     Tubular: Y     Flowering Period: Jun - Sep
Description: 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.


Leaf and Stem Characteristics

Leaf Color: Green     Leaf Type: Simple     Leaf Shape: Narrow     Leaf Margin: Smooth     Leaf Attachment: Opposite     Leaves Clasp: N
Hairs: No     Spines: N
Leaf Description: The leaves are 1-1/2 to 5 inches long and broadly lance shaped with three distinct veins from the base.


Fruit and Seed Characteristics

Fruit Color: Brown   
Fruit Type: Capsule
Fruit Notes: Capsules are brown and contain many seeds.
Seed Notes: Seeds are purplish to black.



  Arizona Cooperative Extension
Yavapai County
840 Rodeo Dr #C
Prescott, AZ 86305
(928) 445-6590
Version 8.0  
http://cales.arizona.edu/yavapaiplants/SpeciesDetailForb.php  
Last Updated: Dec 13, 2022
Content Questions/Comments: Email Matt Halldorson  
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