| Saponaria ocymoides | |
|---|---|
| Plant of Saponaria ocymoides | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Subkingdom: | Tracheobionta |
| Division: | Magnoliophyta |
| Class: | Magnoliopsida |
| Subclass: | Caryophyllidae |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Caryophyllaceae |
| Tribe: | Caryophylleae |
| Genus: | Saponaria |
| Species: | S. ocymoides |
| Binomial name | |
| Saponaria ocymoides L. |
|
| Synonyms | |
Saponaria ocymoides common names Rock Soapwort or Tumbling Ted, is a herbaceous semi-evergreen perennial plant of the genus Saponaria belonging to the family Caryophyllaceae.
Contents |
Saponaria ocymoides reaches on average 10–40 centimetres (3.9–16 in) of height. The stem is prostrate to ascending, woody, reddish, quite hairy and very branched. The leaves are ovate to lanceolate, sessile and hairy, about 1–3 centimetres (0.39–1.2 in) long. The flowers are arranged in groups at the ends of branches. Corolla has red or pink (rarely white) petals and blue Anthers of the stamens. The sepals are fused in a tube about an 8 to 10 millimeters long. Flowering period extends from May to August. Fruit is an ovoid capsule, up to 9 mm long.
This species is present from the mountains of Spain to Corsica, Sardinia and Slovenia, from the Apennines to the Alps. Saponaria ocymoides subsp. alsinoides is endemic to Corsica.
This plant grows in rocky and stony places, dry slopes and forests (especially pine forests). It prefers calcareous soils, at an altitude of 0–1,500 metres (0–4,900 ft) above sea level (rarely up to 2,400 metres (7,900 ft)). It is one of the more common plants in rock gardens and dry stone walls.