Soapwort, Bouncing Bet, Saponaria officinalis L., Naturalized Minnesota Wildflower plant, Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden

	Plants of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
	Common Name	Scientific Name	Plant Family	Garden Location	Prime Season
	Bouncing Bet	Saponaria officinalis L.	Pink (Caryophyllaceae)	Upland	Early Summer to Late Summer
Other names and notes	(Soapwort). A pretty plant of roadsides and waste places growing to two feet in height with either pink or white flowers that are over one inch wide, growing in clusters at the top of the stem. The five petals have an indentation at the tip and the sepals form a long tube. The leaves are elongated ovals with 3 to 5 prominent ribs, toothless. The Garden population is most concentrated at the far East end of the Upland Garden in early summer and along the Upland Garden entrance path in late summer - those plants tend to sprawl. The genus name is from the Latin sapo meaning "soap." The species name officinalis is also Latin and means "of the shops", all referring to the historic use of the plant as a cleanser, particularly in fine fabric shops. See the Lore section below.



Above: These plants were in bloom the first week of July. Below: The leaf structure showing the prominent leaf veins of which there can be 3 to 5.		Below: An example of a pinkish flower color.


Above: Pink flower Bouncing Bet growing along the Upland Garden entrance path in early August. Below: An erect white flower example from early summer in the far NE Upland.

Notes: Eloise Butler's records show that she obtained plants of this species from a site called "Schutt's Forty" on Sept. 1, 1912. (This was the property, located in Eden Prairie Township, of her good friend Clara Schutt.) The plant is a European import from pioneer times and has a long useful history (see below). However, it has naturalized across the entire United States and the lower Canadian provinces, causing it to be placed on the Noxious Weed list in many areas. In Minnesota it is generally found in the East Central and SE parts of the State.

Eloise Butler wrote: "Some naturalized plant citizens, with attractive flowers, one might like to have in the garden, if they were not so aggressive. But, if admitted, they would selfishly shoulder out the weaker and possible more desirable inmates. The place for such vagrants is, therefore, the roadside where they will thrive on a hard bed and a crust of earth. Bouncing Bet and Butter ‘n’ eggs may be cited as examples. A blue ribbon should be awarded them for certain sterling qualities. During protracted droughts, when other vegetation has succumbed and even the grass blades have shriveled, they alone put out their blossoms and brighten what would otherwise be a bare and desert waste. The name Bouncing Bet probably refers to the luxuriant growth’ but the other name, "old maid’s pinks", seems especially applicable. For to do their duty cheerfully under adverse circumstances is the metier of spinsters." Published Aug 6, 1911, Minneapolis Sunday Tribune.

For more information and historical significance of this plant click here -

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References: Plant characteristics are generally from sources 15, 16, 30, 31, 33, W2 & W3. Distribution principally from W2 and also 31, 34 and W1. Planting history generally from 1, 4 & 4a. Other sources by specific reference. See Reference List for details.

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