Plants of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden

Notes: Eloise Butler's records show that she obtained plants of this species from a site called "Schutt's Forty" on Sept. 1, 1912. (This was the property, located in Eden Prairie Township, of her good friend Clara Schutt.) She planted others in 1921. Martha Crone planted it in 1948 and 1951. The plant is a European import from pioneer times and has a long useful history (see below). However, it has naturalized across the entire United States and the lower Canadian provinces, causing it to be placed on the Noxious Weed list in many areas. In Minnesota it is generally found in the East Central and SE parts of the State. It is the only species of Saponaria found in Minnesota but three other species occur elsewhere in the U.S.

Eloise Butler wrote: "Some naturalized plant citizens, with attractive flowers, one might like to have in the garden, if they were not so aggressive. But, if admitted, they would selfishly shoulder out the weaker and possible more desirable inmates. The place for such vagrants is, therefore, the roadside where they will thrive on a hard bed and a crust of earth. Bouncing Bet and Butter ‘n’ eggs may be cited as examples. A blue ribbon should be awarded them for certain sterling qualities. During protracted droughts, when other vegetation has succumbed and even the grass blades have shriveled, they alone put out their blossoms and brighten what would otherwise be a bare and desert waste. The name Bouncing Bet probably refers to the luxuriant growth’ but the other name, "old maid’s pinks", seems especially applicable. For to do their duty cheerfully under adverse circumstances is the metier of spinsters." Published Aug 6, 1911, Minneapolis Sunday Tribune.

Lore and Uses: The blossoms have a pleasantly strong smell, so it was planted along poor streets in cities to hide smells from bad sanitation. In this context it is sometimes referred to as “London Pride.” Other common names are Latherwort, Lady’s-wash Bowl, Old Maid’s-pink and Fuller’s Herb. In the French language the plant is still referred to that way - “Herbe à foulon” (Fuller’s Herb). The French appellation is most correct as the plant was extensively planted next to textile mills (a “Fuller” being anyone who works with cloth). It has been known since the Middle Ages that the leaves and the rhizomes, when boiled in water, make a highly effective soapy lather for cleaning and slightly bleaching delicate fabrics; thus the plant material can produce a natural detergent. As late as the 1960s it was still reported to be used occasionally in museums for cleaning old tapestries. In her extensive notes and comments on the French town of Aix, M. F. K. Fisher reports of still seeing plantings of Fuller’s Herb outside of shops that worked with fabrics. This was in the late 1940s.

The root stalk contains the soap making ingredient “saponin”, the leaves a lesser quantity. One can test this with the leaves by simply bruising them and add water, swish around and you find a bit of soapy bubbles forming. It is recorded that Friars brought the seeds to England from the Continent, as the plant was frequently grown next to monasteries. When English colonists came to North America, the seeds came with them. They also found the saponin solution effective in restoring color and sheen to old china, pewter and glass in addition to lace.

The plant material is however, slightly poisonous, so care must be taken. A decoction, or extract, of the crushed root was and still is used for treating poison ivy and other skin itches. This is effective because of the cleansing ability of the saponins. It was also taken internally as a diuretic, laxative and and expectorant. Modern research has found chemicals within the plant that are useful in treating certain of these conditions. The slight poisonous properties, notwithstanding, Medieval brewers used the leaves to put a good head on a mug of beer; the Pennsylvania Dutch continued that tradition.