What is Saponaria?
In comparison with the general public's knowledge about Saponaria, what is it? The following article introduces Saponaria to netizens.
Saponaria is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Caryophyllaceae family, blooming in summer and autumn with flowers that start white and turn pink. It is both a landscaping plant and a medicinal plant, but rarely appears in home potted plants.
Saponaria cultivation methods
Saponaria is robust, withstands rough management, and is not picky about soil, generally thriving in loamy soil, slightly alkaline (pH 6.5-7.5).
1. Saponaria loves light and warm, humid climates, and dislikes waterlogging. When planting, choose well-drained, neutral soil with low water tables, preferably sandy soil and sloped areas. Saponaria grows very fast, reaching 50-60cm in the first year after transplanting, with lush foliage, generally requiring no weeding.
2. Saponaria is drought-resistant and does not need frequent watering. In case of less rain and high temperatures, watering thoroughly every 20 days can maintain good ornamental effects. Generally, watering once in spring and once in early winter is sufficient.
3. Saponaria is tolerant of poor soil and does not require a lot of fertilizer. It is not strict about fertilizer requirements. Adding organic fertilizer during land preparation, applying about 7500 kg per hectare. During the vegetative growth period, nitrogen fertilizer is mainly used, supplemented with a small amount of phosphorus fertilizer. Spraying nitrogen fertilizer, superphosphate, and potassium dihydrogen phosphate once or twice before flowering can achieve a lush and beautiful ornamental effect.
4. Saponaria generally does not require pruning, but it grows very fast after pruning in the growing season, forming a landscape again in about half a month.
5. Saponaria is adaptable, with a high survival rate after transplanting, easy to cultivate and maintain, has strong group functionality, and quickly forms a landscape. It blooms continuously after one planting and provides ornamental benefits for many years.
6. Saponaria has a well-developed underground root system, dense green leaves, and dense small flowers. It is resistant and prevents weed growth, allowing it to thrive for many years after planting.
7. In the high-temperature season of July-August, Saponaria is prone to leaf spot disease, with pests such as grubs and ground beetles commonly damaging the roots and rhizomes, leading to plant death and causing gaps in the planting.
Saponaria cutting methods
The time for cutting Saponaria is in early June when the temperature is not too high and relatively stable, warm, and suitable for branch growth. The plants have strong differentiation abilities at this time, with a high probability of root formation. The temperature is also suitable for wound healing, and since it has not yet flowered, there are many branches to choose from.
If done too early, the temperature is not high enough for branch growth, and if done too late, it will enter the rainy season, which not only causes temperature drops but also promotes decay and may enter the flowering period.
Saponaria benefits and effects
Softens hardness, resolves accumulations, eliminates boils, and removes eye spots. Treats accumulations, throat obstruction, vomiting, and eye spots, warts.
① "Removes damp heat, resolves phlegm, and grinds accumulations." - Compendium of Materia Medica with Supplements
② "Kills tooth worms, removes eye spots, treats throat obstruction and vomiting. Used with lime, it decays muscle, ulcerates boils and carbuncles, removes blood stasis, and treats moles, warts, and hemorrhoids." - Outline of Materia Medica
Have you understood the comprehensive introduction to Saponaria shared above?