# Soaproot Bulbs?



## Herzl (Jan 2, 2018)

Hey,

I would like to try and make soaps using Chlorogalum pomeridianum (a soaproot), and was wondering if there was a website selling its bulbs. I found seeds, but are there any bulbs out there? Or something similar perhaps?

Thanks alot!


----------



## earlene (Jan 2, 2018)

Try this nursery:  *https://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/196--chlorogalum-pomeridianum

*The plant is native to California & Oregon, so if you live nearby, you can collect them yourself if you know what you are looking for.


----------



## Herzl (Jan 2, 2018)

Thanks! 

Its sold out at the moment, and I'm not sure it's bulbs the'yre selling. Any other ideas?


----------



## earlene (Jan 2, 2018)

http://telosrarebulbs.com/moreNatives.html

http://www.cnplx.info/nplx/species?taxon=Chlorogalum+pomeridianum

And a map of where to find them if you want to forage:

http://calscape.org/Chlorogalum-pomeridianum-()


----------



## Herzl (Jan 28, 2018)

I can't to find it anywhere at the moment, do you guys perhaps know when will it be available?

And more importantly, do you think it's possible to make washing powder from soap root? Has it been done before? 

Thanks!


----------



## Zany_in_CO (Feb 13, 2018)

Grow Your Own Laundry Powder:
http://subsistencepatternfoodgarden.blogspot.com/2009/08/grow-your-own-laundry-detergent.html

Buy Soapwort (Root) Powder at Monterey Bay Spice Co:
https://www.herbco.com/p-287-soapwort-root-powder.aspx


----------



## Steve85569 (Feb 13, 2018)

Dang!
We have that growing along the river!! Weeds!
Wondered why the deer didn't eat it...
Who'da thought? I'm gonna HAVE TO dig some roots this summer/ fall!

Herzl, Stay in touch and when the temperature gets up over 40 I may see if I can spot some of last years plant top above the high water mark.


----------



## CaraBou (Feb 14, 2018)

An interesting plant for sure, _historically and currently_ to Native Americans and pollinators like native bumblebees:

https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/chlorogalum_pomeridianum.shtml​
It may be legal to gather small quantities of bulbs from public multiple-use lands (USFS or BLM), but check with your local office to see if a free (or cheap) permit is needed.  The permits are just to track the value and status of public resources, which comes in handy when others try to privatize public lands or commercialize their resources. 

Okay, off my soap box, but this is a very important topic in Western US with its amazing wildlands


----------



## Zany_in_CO (Feb 14, 2018)

Good to know! Thanks, CaraBou!

Just an FYI: Evidently, there are several varieties of soapwort -- the Soapwort Root on herbco.com is _Saponaria officinalis._


----------



## Steve85569 (Feb 14, 2018)

CaraBou said:


> An interesting plant for sure, _historically and currently_ to Native Americans and pollinators like native bumblebees:
> 
> https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/chlorogalum_pomeridianum.shtml​
> It may be legal to gather small quantities of bulbs from public multiple-use lands (USFS or BLM), but check with your local office to see if a free (or cheap) permit is needed.  The permits are just to track the value and status of public resources, which comes in handy when others try to privatize public lands or commercialize their resources.
> ...



That would explain why we still see the Native bumbles here too.
Strange how I came here to learn about soap and now I'm learning about my own back yard. This could explain why this was a stopping off place for the Aboriginal People of the area. Jan (DW) is going to be very interested. The weather has closed in on us right now so it looks like it'll be a week or so before I can do any real exploring.

When I do gather I will not take enough to clear any patches, just thin them in spots. These grow in large swathes where the conditions are right for them. Knowing what they are I will be harvesting seeds this coming fall too. During runoff events the area is covered in flowing water so most of the seeds end up down river somewhere.

This is really cool to learn!


----------



## Zany_in_CO (Feb 14, 2018)

With apologies for the Hijack...

*Steve:*  Whilst foraging for "weeds", you may want to scout out some "Yellow Dock". From my research, it can be found all across the USA. The roots are used to make the most gorgeous  Raspberry Pink soap! Here's a link to a Blog that I followed to make it.

https://sapuhusid.blogspot.com/2010/07/raspberry-pink-soap-yellow-dock.html

NOTE: I used _Rumex Crispus_ root from herbco.com -- Not big on foraging through weeds around here... rattlesnakes, ya know?


----------



## Steve85569 (Feb 14, 2018)

Zany_in_CO said:


> With apologies for the Hijack...
> 
> *Steve:*  Whilst foraging for "weeds", you may want to scout out some "Yellow Dock". From my research, it can be found all across the USA. The roots are used to make the most gorgeous  Raspberry Pink soap! Here's a link to a Blog that I followed to make it.
> 
> ...



I'll be doing more maintaining in the woods this year. The Russian Comfrey has gotten completely out of control and the County has failed in their mission to help. I'll watch for the friendlies when I spray so they can thrive. 
I understand about the snakes. We just happen to be below the Timbers and above the Diamondbacks. That and the lower parts of the place have been underwater twice this winter. The geese love it but not so much the snakes.


----------



## Zany_in_CO (Feb 15, 2018)

Seems you've found a nice location. I'm jealous. I love comfrey ~ I used to have a herb garden. Comfrey is the only thing I have left, contained in a half-whiskey barrel. Comfrey leaves dried and infused in olive oil  make pretty soap; roots are effective in soothing, healing salves. Dig the stuff up by the roots, dry it and sell it! Of course, as you probably know, cut one root and you get babies! It makes a pretty blossom but I don't know if that's any good for anything. ???


----------



## Steve85569 (Feb 17, 2018)

The seeds of the Russian Comfrey are smallish burrs that stick to the critters and man do they spread. The deer will not eat it. If I walk through a patch I have to pick the burrs out of my socks, off my pants and how in @#^$$! did they get there?!? They pop up any where the critters go and especially where they sleep. 

Yellow Dock pops up kind of randomly in the silts and where they stay moist can be quite large.

High water has taken it's toll on a patch or two. I'll know more come spring when the roots start to grow.


----------

