An easy-to-grow, local geophyte (bulb) with an interesting flowering habit, Soap Plant adds a little late spring drama to your garden. Its spiky, white, short-lived blossoms open only in the evening, giving you an excuse to take a stroll at dusk to admire them.
Being a geophyte, Soap Plant will die back to the ground after flowering. Leave the dying stalk in place until it’s fully dead and has had a chance to broadcast its seed before trimming. (This also allows the “energy” output of the plant to return to the bulb.)
Soap Plant is a good oak understory plant that will flower reliably given just enough dappled sunlight. There is no need to water Soap Plant in the summer (which can actually create conditions in which the bulb will rot): it will come back after the first winter rains, announcing itself with its characteristically long, ruffled leaves.
