Rock Soapwort (Saponaria ocymoides)

Features and Characteristics

Saponaria ocymoides, commonly called rock soapwort, is a semi-evergreen herbaceous perennial ground cover native to the rocky, mountainous slopes of southwestern and south central Europe. This plant is densely branched with a mounding to trailing habit, creating a mat 6-8″ tall with a 1-2′ spread. The leaves are oval to lance-shaped, up to 1″ long and 0.5″ wide, held close to the stems, and greyish-green in color. The stems have a reddish coloration and can be semi-woody. Both the stems and leaves are covered in fine hairs. In summer (May to August) the plant is carpeted in sprays of small, bright pink flowers, 0.5-1″ in diameter. The bloom period can last up to three weeks. This plant will self-seed in the garden, but is not considered aggressive.

Genus name comes from the Latin word sapo meaning soap.

The specific epithet ocymoides means “resembling basil” (genus: Ocimum), and may refer to the shape of the leaves or the highly branched habit.