Page author: David Giblin
Saponaria officinalis
bouncing-bet
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east across North America to the Atlantic Coast.

Habitat: Rocky stream corridors, forest edge, roadsides, and other disturbed, open areas from low to moderate elevations.

Flowers: June-September

Origin: Introduced from Europe

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Butterflies, moths

Description:
General:

Glabrous, rhizomatous, leafy perennial forming large clumps, the several simple stems 4-9 dm. tall.

Leaves:

Leaves opposite, entire, lanceolate to oblanceolate, 4-10 cm. long and 1.5-4 cm. broad, the cauline up to 20 pairs, short-petiolate or the upper sessile.

Flowers:

Flowers fragrant, often double, in a congested inflorescence; calyx tubular, 5-lobed, 15-20 mm. long, 20-nerved, often deeply cleft in 1-2 places; corolla white to pink, the claw equal to the calyx, the blade 10-15 mm. long, obovate, with 2 linear appendages near the base; stamens 10; styles 2.

Fruits:

Capsule 1-celled.

Accepted Name:
Saponaria officinalis L.
Publication: Sp. Pl. 1: 408. 1753.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
(none provided)
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Saponaria officinalis in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.

WA Flora Checklist: Saponaria officinalis checklist entry.

OregonFlora: Saponaria officinalis information.

E-Flora BC: Saponaria officinalis atlas page.

CalPhotos: Saponaria officinalis photos.

USDA Plants: Saponaria officinalis information.

31 photographs:
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