| Saponaria ocymoides | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Caryophyllaceae |
| Genus: | Saponaria |
| Species: | S. ocymoides |
| Binomial name | |
| Saponaria ocymoides | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
| |
Saponaria ocymoides, the rock soapwort [2] or tumbling Ted, [2] is a species of semi-evergreen perennial flowering plant belonging to the family Caryophyllaceae, native to south western and southern central Europe. [3]
The Latin specific epithet ocymoides means “resembling basil” ( Ocimum ). [4] However the resemblance is superficial, as the two plants are not closely related. In fact Saponaria ocymoides belongs to the same family as pinks and carnations.
Reaching a height of 10–40 centimetres (3.9–15.7 in), the stem is prostrate to ascending, woody, reddish, quite hairy and very branched. The leaves are ovate to lanceolate, sessile and hairy, 1–3 cm long. The five-petalled flowers are arranged in groups at the ends of branches. They have red or pink (rarely white) petals and blue anthers. The sepals are fused in a tube about an 8 to 10 millimeters long. The flowering period extends from May to August in the Northern Hemisphere. The fruit is an ovoid capsule, up to 9 mm long.
This species ranges from the mountains of Spain to Corsica, Sardinia and Slovenia, from the Apennines to the Alps. It grows in rocky and stony places, dry slopes and forests (especially pine forests). It prefers calcareous (alkaline) soils, at an altitude of up to 1,500 metres (4,900 ft), rarely up to 2,400 metres (7,900 ft).
Saponaria ocymoides is cultivated as an ornamental plant for rock gardens and dry stone walls, in well-drained alkaline or neutral soil in full sun. Like most alpine plants it dislikes winter wetness around its roots. [3] It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. [5] [6]
Lavandula stoechas, the Spanish lavender or topped lavender (U.S.) or French lavender (U.K.), is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, occurring natively in several Mediterranean countries, including France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece.
Lobularia maritima is a species of low-growing flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae. Its common name is sweet alyssum or sweet alison, also commonly referred to as just alyssum.
Hydrangea quercifolia, commonly known by its translation oakleaf hydrangea or oak-leaved hydrangea, is a species of flowering plant native to the Southeastern United States, in woodland habitats from North Carolina west to Tennessee, and south to Florida and Louisiana. A deciduous shrub with white showy flower heads, it is a commonly grown garden plant. Numerous cultivars are available commercially.
Abutilon pictum — syn. Abutilon striatum,(disputed) and commonly known as redvein abutilon, red vein Indian mallow, redvein flowering maple, Chinese-lantern or red vein Chinese lanterns, is a species of Abutilon in the family Malvaceae. It is native to southern Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. The plant has become naturalised in Central America, and common in horticulture.
Erica vagans, or Cornish heath, or wandering heath, is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae, native to Ireland, Cornwall, western France and Spain. It is a vigorous, spreading, evergreen heather reaching 75 cm (30 in) tall and wide, with pink flowers borne in racemes 14 cm (6 in) long in summer and autumn. The Latin specific epithet vagans literally means "wandering"; in this context it means "widely distributed".
Erica cinerea, the bell heather, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae, native to western and central Europe.
Erica carnea, the winter heath, winter-flowering heather, spring heath or alpine heath, is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae, native to mountainous areas of central, eastern and southern Europe, where it grows in coniferous woodlands or stony slopes.
Lavandula angustifolia, formerly L. officinalis, is a flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to the Mediterranean.
Gypsophila paniculata, the baby's breath, common gypsophila or panicled baby's-breath, is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae, native to central and eastern Europe. It is an herbaceous perennial growing to 1.2 m (4 ft) tall and wide, with mounds of branching stems covered in clouds of tiny white flowers in summer. Its natural habitat is on the Steppes in dry, sandy and stony places, often on calcareous soils. Specimens of this plant were first sent to Linnaeus from St. Petersburg by the Swiss-Russian botanist Johann Amman.
Sorbus commixta, the Japanese rowan, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rosaceae, native to Japan, Sakhalin, and the Korean island of Ulleungdo.
Spiraea japonica, the Japanese meadowsweet, Japanese spiraea, or Korean spiraea, is a plant in the family Rosaceae. Synonyms for the species name are Spiraea bumalda Burv. and Spiraea japonica var. alpina Maxim.
Linnaea amabilis, also known under the synonym Kolkwitzia amabilis and the English name beauty bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Caprifoliaceae. It is a deciduous shrub grown as an ornamental plant. In China, where it originated, the plant is wei shi shu (蝟实).
Teucrium fruticans is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to the western and central Mediterranean. Growing to 1 m (3 ft) tall by 4 m (13 ft) wide, it is a spreading evergreen shrub with arching velvety white shoots, glossy aromatic leaves and pale blue flowers in summer.
Erica lusitanica is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae, known by the common names Portuguese heath and Spanish heath. It is native to Spain, Portugal and southwestern France. It is named for Lusitania, a historical region encompassing most of modern Portugal and parts of western Spain.
Hydrangea serrata is a species of flowering plant in the family Hydrangeaceae, native to mountainous regions of Korea and Japan. Common names include mountain hydrangea and tea of heaven. Growing to 1.2 m (4 ft) tall and broad, it is a deciduous shrub with oval leaves and panicles of blue and pink flowers in summer and autumn (fall). It is widely cultivated as an attractive ornamental shrub throughout the world in areas with suitable climate and soil.
Pittosporum tobira is a species of sweet-smelling flowering plant in the pittosporum family Pittosporaceae known by several common names, including Australian laurel, Japanese pittosporum, mock orange and Japanese cheesewood. It is native to eastern Mediterranean (Greece), as well as in Japan, China, and Korea, but it is used throughout the world as an ornamental plant in landscaping and as cut foliage.
Primula allionii is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae, native to southern France and northern Italy where it is found on cliffs with the altitude of 700–1,900 metres (2,300–6,200 ft). It is a small, spreading, evergreen perennial growing to 10 centimetres (3.9 in) tall by 20 centimetres (7.9 in) wide, with leathery, hairy leaves and pink flowers in late winter and early spring.
Thymus pulegioides, common names broad-leaved thyme or lemon thyme, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe. Growing to 5–25 cm (2–10 in) tall by 25 cm (10 in) wide, it is a small spreading subshrub with strongly aromatic leaves, and lilac pink flowers in early summer. The specific epithet pulegioides highlights its similarity to another species within Lamiaceae, Mentha pulegium (pennyroyal).
Plectranthus fruticosus, the forest spurflower, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to South Africa. Growing up to 2 m (6.6 ft) tall, it is an erect evergreen shrub, with rounded, hairy leaves, and spikes of soft blue or mauve flowers in summer.
Wisteria brachybotrys, the silky wisteria, is a species of flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae from Japan. Some older references believed it to be of garden origin. It is certainly very widely cultivated in its native Japan, with the white flowered cultivars more widely grown than the pale violet cultivars. It is in fact native to western parts of Honshu and throughout Shikoku and Kyushu, growing in mountain forests and woods from 100 to 900m. It is not at all clear why it is less popular in the west than in Japan.
 | Wikimedia Commons has media related to Saponaria ocymoides . |
 | Wikispecies has information related to Saponaria ocymoides |