This information courtesy
of the Colorado Natural Areas Program
Family:
Caryophyllaceae (Pink)
Other
Names:
soapwort, lady by the garden gate
USDA
Code:
SAOF4
Legal
Status:
Colorado Noxious Weed List B
Identification
Growth
form:
Perennial forb.
Flower:
The flowers are crowded at the ends of branches, and
have five
petals that are generally pink and slightly notched at the
apex.
Seeds/Fruit:
Fruits are many-seeded capsules. Seeds are dull-black and
roundish or kidney-shaped.
Leaves:
Leaves are opposite, smooth, narrow, 2-4 inches long and
have
three distinct veins from the base.
Stems:
Mature plants are up to three feet tall with stout,
erect, smooth, branching
stems.
Roots:
Rhizomatous root system
Seedling:
No information available.
Similar
Species
Exotics:
None known.
Natives:
Cerastium spp. (mouse-ear) have separate (usually
white) petals
instead of united petals. Many other members of the pink
family appear
similar.
Impacts
Agricultural:
Bouncingbet can be poisonous to livestock although it is
generally considered unpalatable.
Ecological:
Bouncingbet spreads rapidly, replacing more valuable species
(e.g. perennial grasses).
Habitat
and Distribution
General
requirements:
Bouncingbet is often found in large dense patches
on hillsides, along river courses, roadsides, meadows, and waste
areas. It prefers moist, well-drained soil, and full sun to
partial shade
and is currently found primarily in municipal areas and
nearby wildlands.
Distribution:
Scattered throughout the United States. Bouncingbet is
increasingly common in Colorado, particularly in residential
areas and local open spaces where it has escaped cultivation
as an ornamental species.
Historical:
Bouncingbet was originally introduced from Europe as a
garden ornamental and for its saponins, which are the source
of it soap-producing qualities (Lokker and Cavers 1995).
Biology/Ecology
Life
cycle:
Flowering begins in July and continues until
September.
Mode
of reproduction:
Reproduces by seed and spreads clonally
by rhizomes.
swollen
nodes.
Seed
production:
No information available.
Seed
bank:
No information available.
Dispersal:
No information available.
Integrated
Management Summary
Bouncingbet
is not yet widespread in Colorado, so the most important
control is to be on the lookout for it and prevent new
infestations. If infestations are discovered, they should be
controlled immediately, and all seed production prevented.
Since bouncingbet usually grows in dense patches it is
relatively easy to spot and treat. Be aware that this
species is often found in wet areas, which may restrict the
use of certain pesticides. As with all perennial weeds that
have extensive root systems, the key to controlling
bouncingbet is to eliminate seed production while
depleting the nutrient reserves in the roots.
CONTROL
CEPEP
Weed Profile
References
Lokker,
C. and P.B. Cavers. The effects of physical damage on seed
production in flowering plants of Saponaria officinalis.
Canadian Journal of Botany 73:235-243.
Whitson, T.D.(ed.), L.C. Burrill, S.A. Dewey, D.W. Cudney, B.E.
Nelson, R.D. Lee, R. Parker. 1996. Bouncingbet. Weeds of
the West. Western Society of Weed Science, in
cooperation with the Western United States Land Grant
Universities Cooperative Extension Services, Newark, CA.
|
