soap plant

plural soap plants

1. Any plant of the genus Chlorogalum, endemic to western North America, especially Chlorogalum pomeridianum, the most widespread species.

   Volunteers often occur around established plants, creating open colonies of soap plant in the wild and in gardens.

   2012, Marjorie G. Schmidt, Katherine L. Greenberg, Growing California Native Plants, 2nd edition, page 205

   2 more examples

   The trail, which winds through deerweed, soap plant, and mallow, is tough to miss in the summer and early fall, but may be overgrown with grass and wildflowers during the spring.

   2008, Brian Milne, Top Trails: California Central Coast: Must-Do Hikes for Everyone, page 89

   The Karok, a California tribe, pounded the bulbs of the soap plant (Chlorogalum pomerindianum) to clean both clothing and buckskin blankets while the Mahuna used them whole as soap bars.

   2009, Emory Dean Keoke, Kay Marie Porterfield, Encyclopedia of American Indian Contributions to the World, page 82

   Synonyms: amole, soaproot

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see soap, plant.

   For example, bleach production was moved to P&G's soap plant from the Kansas City Clorox plant to destroy the union there, according to a former officer.

   1994, Alecia Swasy, Soap Opera, page 189