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Native Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Chlorogalum pomeridianum (DC.) Kunth

Wavyleaf soap plant, Wavyleaf Soap-plant

Liliaceae (Lily Family)

USDA Symbol: CHPO3

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

Delicate, star-like, white flowers in a large, freely and openly branched cluster.

By day this plant appears ungainly, the branches stark and unattractive, but toward evening, or on cloudy days, the delicate flowers open, resembling thistledown caught among the twigs. Native Americans crushed the plants bulbs and added water to produce a lather for cleaning clothing and baskets. They also roasted bulbs to produce a substance used to glue feathers to arrow shafts and to treat rashes caused by Poison Oak.

 

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Fruit:

Bloom Information

Bloom Time: May , Jun , Jul , Aug

Distribution

USA: CA , OR
Native Distribution: Southwestern Oregon south to southern California.
Native Habitat: Dry open hills and plains, often in open brush or woods.
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Benefit

Use Food: Young leaves consumed by Native Americans.
Use Medicinal: Crushed bulbs applied to rashes from Poison Ivy.
Use Other: Native Americans crushed the plants bulbs and added water to produce a lather for cleaning clothing and baskets, also using the liquid as a fish poison. They roasted the bulbs to produce a substance used to glue feathers to arrow shafts. Fibers were extracted from older bulb sheaths to make bristles for brushes.
Interesting Foliage: yes

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

From the National Suppliers Directory

According to the inventory provided by Associate Suppliers, this plant is available at the following locations:

Oregon Native Plant Nursery - Woodburn, OR

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Bibliography

Bibref 1218 - Tending the Wild: Native American Knowledge and the Management of California's Natural Resources (2006) Anderson, M. Kat

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Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Chlorogalum pomeridianum in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Chlorogalum pomeridianum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Chlorogalum pomeridianum

Metadata

Record Modified: 2008-10-19
Research By: TWC Staff

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