Soaproot (Chlorogalum pomeridianum)
Despite the snow, hail, and rain so copious it forms little sheets and streams of water in the yard, there’s one native plant that’s coming up, unstoppable. Soaproot.
Soaproot was one of the first plants I got to know, many years ago, when I moved to this area. I was camping out by the river, near what turned out to be a seasonal stream, and there was a good colony of soaproot there.
Soaproot loves to colonize
Later on, I found out that soaproot really likes moist soil, and seems to prefer dirt so wet it’s underwater part of the year. But I’ve also seen it on hilltops near no obvious source of water whatever. It might have been a high-water-table indicator: there were madrone trees all around them (soaproot likes shade), and although madrones will take drought, they love water. The trouble is, I know the well on that property was a very piddly one. Did they just drill in the wrong place? Or are madrones and soaproot less thirsty than I thought? Just another mystery.
...in fact, they love colonizing so much that the storm-damaged leaves crash together sculpturally
Soaproot, as you might have guessed by the name, has a bulbous root that can be used as soap; it lathers when you mix it with water.
Trouble is, that root is about 2 feet down, and the heavy clay soil makes tough digging. Camped out there by the river, I decided to dig up my soaproot in the original style: I used a stick.
That method took me two days and a good share of my patience. You can’t pull the root up; the stem breaks off, as I repeatedly found. So, I kept digging.
I dug only a couple of hours a day. Digging through clay with a stick is a little like serving up sugar with a needle: if you’re diligent, it works, but it’s slow. Probably the Maidu of the area had more patience than I. And maybe better digging skills.
When I did get down to the hairy, bulbous root (the outside has fibrous covering) I found it difficult to deal with. It has many layers, like an onion, only more slippery.
This soaproot is almost at full height; the plants in the pot aren't even up yet
The reason I was digging up soaproot was that I had heard it was a remedy for poison oak, and which I had a case of. (Poison oak is not at all picky about where it grows: shade, sun; wet, dry: it’s all good.) I did manage to get the root to lather, and it did help with the itching, but I’m forced to say that Fels-Naptha laundry soap did a better job, and was less sticky. (This was before I heard about the torture by testing animals get, or at least got, at the Fels-Naptha labs. I stopped buying their soap. It seems to me that there are a lot better and more interesting ways to test soap.)
I did not use the hairy outer covering of the soaproot as a brush, or try roasting and eating the bulb, as Indians who live in soaproot’s range used to do. I’ve eaten a lot of bitter, acrid, and acidic wild foods (at least once), but the idea of roasting one of those slippery, soapy roots is not appealing. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe they’re like onions, and get sweet when you roast them.
Although I am unlikely to dig up any soaproot with a stick this year, I enjoy its cheerful, persistent, burgeoning presence, and look forward to the stems of delicate white flowers– sometimes only a couple of feet tall, sometimes towering to four feet, glinting white in the shade.
In the center of the rosette, the stalk is just beginning
P.S. To any regular readers: this is why my comments and posts have been scarce recently: sometimes I get to do what I want, and sometimes my health has the last word. I’m looking forward to getting back in your gardens as soon as I can.
14 comments
Dear Pomona, I had never heard of soaproot or poison oak, and enjoyed this fascinating post. The image of you camping out in some beautiful place and digging two hours each day makes me smile. I wish you healthy wishes, catmint
I can’t imagine digging with a stick so much, what tenacity! Okay, that plant is a new one for me. Interesting.
Nice post and the first I’ve seen on this CA native. The first time I saw it was when the neighbors, very knowlegable, pointed it out.
The next time was when our septic system was dug by a back hoe and happened to show a cross section of earth layers with the root showing imbedded in the ‘dirt wall’ I was amazed to see how far down they go.
I like the flowers, too, hard to photograph bacause they are so delicate and airy.
I enjoy learning about all the uses that our natives have been used for. I wonder if I’d be willing to dig up an attractive garden plant next time I have an encounter with poison oak, however. Dunno…does that say that I’m disconnected from what nature can provide us if I’m so fixated only on how a plant looks?
Oh, forgot to mention that if I cover my exposed face, arms, wrists ankles with any oil based lotion before going out, it prevents poison oak oil from sticking to my skin. I’m very allergic, but since we have to work around it I looked into all the preventions. Accidental exposure is different problem.
Did you try the root on your poison oak?
Very good tips on the p.o., Sue. The method I use now is to cover up severely when I know I’ll be doing things like cutting it. Afterwards I wash with baking soda, made into a paste, very very thoroughly. Then I do it again (baking soda cuts oils on our bodies as well as in our household cleaning, a neighbor told me. Then I wash with Tecnu extreme, whose main ingredient is the beneficent sticky grindelia, also a native – maybe I should do a poison oak series! You can see I have a lot of respect for p.o. The soaproot was only sort of kind of effective.
James, while using plants is my delight, I’m in no position to be criticizing someone who is impractical in the cause of aesthetics!
Barbee, I’m impressed if I’ve found a plant new to you – even if I had to go to the other end of the country to do it.
Catmint, lovely to hear from you and thanks for the good wishes.
P.S. I love the idea of seeing a cross-section of this plant — it’s an easier way to see how deep they go, and the visual effect would be pleasing.
I did not know about this plant. Thanks! glad to learn about more plants! too bad it doesnt help more with the poison oak!
[...] only soaproot, chickweed, and bittercress doing anything in the garden, it’s wonderful to see any [...]
As a Native of the Wintu tribe and to expand on the uses of soap root. It was also used for fishing by women and other non-hunters. After gathering a copious amount, it is pounded into a lather. Once that is achieved, the entire batch is tossed in a small pool on the river. It stuns the fish and they float to the surface for “easy” harvesting.
I’d love to see pictures of your plants in bloom.
Can you eat it? And do you know of any recipes?
I have a recipe but sorry I will post it later!!!
Soap root Recipe.
Prepare:
1. Choose young and tender soap roots.
2. Peel the outer husk till you reach the white meaty part.
3. Snip stems off.
4. Wash thoroughly.
Cook:
1. You can either boil or bake them, but in our experience, boiling is better.
To boil:
1. Set a boiling pot of water on the stove, drop soap root shoots in.
2. Boil for 45 minutes – to an hour.
To bake:
1. Wrap in foil.
2. Set in baking pan.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Bake for an hour and 10 minutes.
Scraping:
1. Peel down sides of root.
2. With a butter knife, scrape the meat off the inner side of peel.
Mixing:
1. In a bowl, mix thyme, nutmeg, baking powder, cornstarch, flour.
2. Bake at 400 for 20 min.
Warning!
Has very strong flavor. Sprinkle brown sugar on top before baking.
Leave a Comment