The perennial creeping soapwort is a popular ground-covering medicinal plant. The robust rock garden plant is used to green problematic, sunny slopes, fallow land and dry stone walls. Ideal for direct sowing or pre-cultivation, pot culture possible, sowing in spring, good for mixed culture, harvesting of roots, leaves and stems.

 Description 
Creeping soapwort is a perennial and ground-covering shrub from the mountains of the Alps. The hardy medicinal plant is native to the southern Alps and the mountain regions of Italy, Spain and France. The fast-growing rock garden plant is a low-growing and creeping species that is ideal for greening problematic, sunny slopes, wasteland and for planting dry stone walls.
The continuously flowering plants develop oval, hairy leaves and produce numerous pink flowers. A saponin-containing extract can be obtained from the roots, leaves and stems, which was formerly used by the Assyrians as soap and is still very common in the Middle East today.

Creeping soapwort is an highly endangered wild plant species!

 General information 
Plant family: Caryophyllaceae
Life cycle: Perennial
Days to harvest: 50 days
Plant height approx.: 20 cm
Root type: Shallow rooter
Nutrient requirements: Low
Water requirements: Low
Winter hardiness: Up to -20°C
Location: Sunny
Soil: Sandy or stony loam soil

pH value: 5 to 7

 Sowing and planting information 
Germination type: Light and cold germinator
Sowing depth: 0 cm
Optimal germination temperature: 10-22 °C
Germination time: 10-25 days
Plant and row spacing: 20x40 cm

Germination ability of seeds: 2-3 years

 Mixed culture 
Optimal mixed culture: Alyssum, Silver hornwort
Unfavorable mixed culture: -

 Sowing by climate zone 
Subtropic climate (Mediterranean) (e. g. B. Portugal, Spain, Italy)
Direct sowing from January to May is recommended. The plants should ideally be in a sunny location.
Moderate climate (e. g. B. Germany, Switzerland, Poland)
Direct sowing from April to June is recommended. The plants should ideally be in a sunny location.

 General recommendations 
We recommend direct sowing or pre-cultivation. For pre-cultivation, sow the seeds in a small bowl and let the seedlings grow until the first visible soapwort leaves appear, then transplant them into the desired container. After transplanting, let the seedlings grow at moderate temperatures until they are ready to be planted out as seedlings. Plant the seedlings in the bed from the second pair of leaves after the cotyledons.
Creeping soapwort does not tolerate waterlogging.

 Additional tips 
Thrives best on calcareous soils. Establishes itself in the garden through self-seeding. Loosen the soil before sowing and water it when it is young. In order to quickly obtain a fine, crumbly and permeable soil with good nutrient and water retention capacity, it is recommended to also incorporate biochar and primary rock flour.

 Type of propagation 
Propagation occurs via seeds or cuttings.

 Plant care 
Loose soil is sufficient. No fertilization necessary.

 Other names 
Botanical names: Saponaria ocymoides
English names: Creeping soapwort 
German names: Kriechendes Seifenkraut, Rotes Seifenkraut, Kissen Seifenkraut, Polster Seifenkraut
Portuguese names: Pedra sabão
Spanish names: Jabonera rocosa
French names: La Saponaria

 Origin 
Country: Germany