Soapwort ‘Saponaria officinalis’

Flowers 2cm wide pink, pale green leaves. This plant has many common names including common soapwort, bouncing-bet, crow soap, wild sweet William, and soapweed.

Saponaria is derived from the Latin sapo (stem sapon-) meaning “soap”, which, like its common name, refers to its utility in cleaning, it produces a lather when in contact with water.

It grows in cool places at low or moderate elevations under hedgerows and along the shoulders of roadways.