Saponaria officinalis Graciella Pink

Saponaria officinalis 'Graciella Pink' is a variety of soapwort with simple and charming light pink flowers. It can flower in the same year it is sown. It is a robust perennial, ideal for a natural garden. It blooms long and abundantly in summer, under a cloud of lightly scented flowers. It may not be the most dazzling plant, but is low-maintenance, graceful, hardy, and long-lived. It likes moist soil. It can become invasive when it is happy.

Saponaria officinalis is an herbaceous perennial plant in the Caryophyllaceae family, native to Europe and Asia. It is frequently found in the countryside, along paths, in ditches, and near streams. 'Graciella Pink' is distinguished by its particularly fast growth. With its creeping rhizomes, it forms abundant, somewhat loose clumps that spread over time, especially in rich, moist soil. This plant will grow to about 60cm (24in) in height, and 50cm (20in) in width. From July to September, the erect or slightly recumbent stems bear flowers reminiscent of phlox. They are pale pink, slightly fragrant, and gathered in dense cymes above the foliage. The opposite leaves on the stem are oval, bright green, pointed and deeply marked by 3 longitudinal veins. The above-ground vegetation is deciduous, emerging from the ground in spring and drying out in autumn.

'Graciella Pink' looks great when planted en masse in a wild garden. However, it is not recommended for small spaces. In a large border, it can be planted with Galega officinalis, pyramidal bellflower, and ladies' julienna. It does not like shade.