Soapwort

Also called soapwort, the leaves of this plant were used long ago to make a cleaning lather. Also called bouncing bet, it grows easily along arid roadsides and other difficult places -- showing how easy it is to grow. Flowers come in double forms in red, pink, and white, and some with variegated leaves are good candidates where soil tends to be alkaline. Tumbling over walls, as a ground cover in rock gardens, or in crevice gardens, rock soapwort -- a low, spreading form -- makes colorful pools of bright pink contrasting with surrounding rocks or flag stones. Provide good drainage in full sun.

Light:

Sun,Part Sun

Zones:

3-9

Plant Type:

Perennial

Plant Height:

3-24 inches tall, depending on variety

Plant Width:

6-30 inches wide, depending on variety

Flower Color:

White or pink flowers, depending on variety; variegated leaves, depending on variety

Bloom Time:

Blooms late spring and early summer to early fall, depending on variety

Landscape Uses:

Containers,Beds & Borders,Groundcover

Special Features:

Flowers,Cut Flowers,Attracts Butterflies,Drought Tolerant,Tolerates Wet Soil,Deer Resistant,Easy to Grow

Top Varieties

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Bouncing Bet

(Saponaria officinalis) comes in single and double forms slightly larger than a dime, in white, red, or rosy pink. The flowers are held in loose clusters on sturdy 2-foot stems with knots at the nodes. Some forms have variegated foliage. Zones 3-9
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Rock soapwort

(Saponaria ocymoides) develops mats of bright green leaves and in late spring is covered with sprays of small bright pink flowers. It grows 6-9 inches tall and is hardy in Zones 4-8.
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Plant It With

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Veronica

The light blue flowers of creeping Waterperry veronica mix well with rock soapwort in sunny rock gardens and over walls.

Balloon flower

The brilliant violet blue flowers of Mariesii balloon flower combine well with double pink bouncing bet in full sun.

Blazing star

With sturdy wands of bright purple flowers, Kobold blazing staris a vibrant partner for bouncing bet. They thrive in similar conditions.

Helenium

The bronze-flowered selections of helenium show off well with double white forms of bouncing bet.

Propagation

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Seed
Division
Stem Cuttings
Leaf Cuttings