Herbario Virtual del Mediterráneo Occidental
Àrea de Botànica, Departament de Biologia, Universitat de les Illes Balears
Saponaria officinalis L.
Family : CARYOPHYLLACEAE
Genus : Saponaria
Catalan common name : Sabó de gitana. Sabonera. Saboneta. Saponària.
Spanish common name : Albada. Corteza de panamá. Herbada. Hierba de los bataneros. Jabón de palo. Jabonera. Jabonera de la Mancha. Lanaria. Saponaria.
Province distribution : Alicante. Barcelona. Castellón. Gerona. Lérida. Tarragona. Valencia.
General distribution : Mediterranean
Flowering time : June. July. August. September.
Life-forms : Hemicryptophyte.
Habitat : Humid soils. Gardens.
Uses and properties : Medicinal. Perfumery.
Characteristics : A perennial and rhizomatous plant grows to 100 cm in height. The leaves are lanceolate, opposite and with well marked parallel nerves. The flowers have a faint scent, are tubular with five white petals; these grow in dense terminal groups. The stamens markedly exceed the length of the flower tube. The fruit is a capsule.
