Saponaria ocymoides
| Saponaria ocymoides | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 4 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-7.3 |
| Height: | 0.3' |
| Width: | 2' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Saponaria ocymoides (common name: tumbling ted)
Propagation: Seed - best if given a short cold stratification. Sow autumn or late winter in a cold frame. The seed usually germinates within 4 weeks. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Division in spring or autumn. Very easy, it can be successfully done at any time in the growing season if the plants are kept moist until they are re-established. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.
Cultivation: Requires a gritty well-drained sunny dry position on a wall or the edge of a border creeping over a path[1]. Grows well in sandy and dry soils[2][3]. Prefers a moisture-retentive soil[4]. Prefers a lime-free soil[5]. Established plants are drought tolerant[3].
Hardy to about -15°c[1].
There are several named forms selected for their ornamental value[4].
Hybridizes with other members of this genus[4].
Range: Europe.
Habitat: Sunny slopes and rocks, usually limestone, in foothills up to about 2300 metres in the Alps[1].
Usage: All parts of the plant are rich in saponins and can be used as a soap substitute[6]. The saponins are extracted by simmering the plant in water. Plants can be dried for later use[6]. A gentle and effective cleaner[6].
Plants make a good carpeting ground cover when spaced about 60cm apart each way[7].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: The plant contains saponins[8]. Although toxic, these substances are very poorly absorbed by the body and so tend to pass through without causing harm. They are also broken down by thorough cooking. Saponins are found in many plants, including several th
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Perennials - The Definitve Reference. Pan Books, 1991.
- ↑ Brickell, Christopher. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers. Dorling Kindersley Publishers, 1990.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Chatto, Beth. The Damp Garden. Dent, 1982.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Buchanan, Rita. A Weavers Garden.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Plants for Ground Cover. Everyman, 1990.
- ↑ Triska, Jan. Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn, 1975.