Soap Plant (Chlorogalum pomeridianum)

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Herb/Forb
Life cycle:	Perennial
Water Preferences:	Mesic
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 7a -17.8 °C (0 °F) to -15 °C (5 °F)
Plant Height:	2-10 feet
Leaves:	Other: lt. green, 18 to 20"+ length
Fruit:	Dehiscent
Flower Color:	Green White
Bloom Size:	1"-2"
Flower Time:	Late spring or early summer Summer Other: May-August
Underground structures:	Bulb
Propagation: Seeds:	Needs specific temperature: sow in late summer Depth to plant seed: barely covered Can handle transplanting Other info
Propagation: Other methods:	Offsets

Common names

Photo Gallery

Comments:

Posted by Johannian (The Black Hills, SD - Zone 4b) on Dec 8, 2021 5:03 PM concerning plant:

Habitat: Dry open hills and plains, often in open brush or woods. Range: Southwestern Oregon to Southern California.

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Posted by jmorth (central Illinois) on Jan 3, 2012 4:50 PM concerning plant:

Native Americans used bulbs for soap, raw for stunning fish, a/o roasted as food.
Flowers open late in the afternoon and close early morning. Plants are pollinated by moths.
Native to the US, resides from southern Oregon down along the California coast from Sonoma to Monterey. Habitat - dry, open hills and plains, among serpentine rocks and bushy slopes. Grows well in poor, rocky soils.
Bulbs, some measuring in at 4" diameter, are large and covered in brown fiber. Often very deep in the ground in the wild.
Name derived from associated green milk, an allusion to color of sap.
Probably the best of species if adding to a native border.

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Chlorogalum Soap Plant (Chlorogalum pomeridianum)