# Rock Soapwort

*Saponaria ocymoides*

The genus name Saponaria is derived from the Latin 'sapo', as the plant's roots and leaves produce a natural soapy lather when crushed in water.

- **Taxonomy:** Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Caryophyllales › Caryophyllaceae › Saponaria
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** grassland
- **Habitat:** Rocky slopes, limestone cliffs, mountain meadows, and gravelly embankments.
- **Diet:** Autotrophic (Photosynthesis)
- **Range:** Alps, Pyrenees, Apennines, Southern Europe, Central Europe
- **Size:** 10-25 cm tall, forming mats up to 60 cm in diameter.
- **Lifespan:** 3-5 years
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Generally secure, though local populations can be affected by intensive land development and habitat fragmentation.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless and safe to touch. The plant contains saponins which can cause mild digestive distress if eaten; do not ingest. If sap causes rare skin irritation, wash the area with water.

## About

Saponaria ocymoides ( rock soapwort or tumbling Ted ) is a species of semi-evergreen perennial flowering plant belonging to the family Caryophyllaceae, native to south western and southern central Europe.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/4a3376c0-8de2-4c5d-967e-9590c13fe8db
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/61480
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saponaria ocymoides
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/52339714/medium.jpg (Robert Flogaus-Faust, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.