Narrowleaf soap plant facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Narrowleaf soap plant
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Asparagaceae
Subfamily:	Agavoideae
Genus:	Chlorogalum
Species:	C. angustifolium
Binomial name
Chlorogalum angustifolium Kellogg
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Chlorogalum angustifolium is a type of flowering plant. People often call it the narrowleaf soap plant. It's known for its narrow leaves and pretty flowers.

Where it Grows

This plant naturally grows in California and southern Oregon. You can find it in the Sierra Nevada foothills and the inner North Coast Ranges. It likes to grow in tough, rocky soil. Look for it in woodlands and on grassy hillsides.

What it Looks Like

The narrowleaf soap plant is a perennial wildflower. This means it lives for more than two years. It grows from a round, underground part called a bulb. This bulb is only a few centimeters wide. The plant has thin leaves that grow from its base. These leaves are very narrow, only a few millimeters wide.

Its Flowers

The plant sends up a tall flower stalk. This stalk can grow up to 70 centimeters (about 27 inches) long. Many flowers grow on this stalk. These flowers are "ephemeral," meaning they don't last long. They open in the evening and close by the next morning. Each flower has six petal-like parts called tepals. They are about one centimeter long. The tepals are white with yellow-green lines in the middle. Inside the flower, there are six stamens. These stamens have large yellow tips called anthers.

Its Fruit

After the flowers bloom, the plant produces a small fruit. This fruit is a capsule. It is only 1 to 3 millimeters long.

How People Used It

Long ago, the indigenous Karuk people of northern California used this plant. They would crush the bulbs of the narrowleaf soap plant. The juice from the crushed bulbs was very soapy. They used this natural soap as a detergent to wash their clothes.