Chlorogalum pomeridianum
“Soap Plant”

flower/bulb photo: randomtruth@flickr.com,
foliage photo: xerantheum@flickr.com

“Soap Plant” makes an lovely (& useful!) addition to garden beds, dry gardens, rock gardens & meadows. Found throughout California on dry, open hills, the native bulb forms a 1” wide rosette of attractive, wavy margined gray-green leaves. In late Spring, widely branched panicles of very fragrant, delicate looking white flowers appear, giving a graceful air to the garden. The blooms are pollinated by moths, so are extra fragrant in the evening. EASY & poor soil tolerant. Native Californians used the raw bulbs for soap & roasted them for food. The fibers around the bulb can also be pulled off & bound to make a brush to use while soaping up the dishes! Supper, soap & scrubber all in one! Deciduous in Fall.

Annie