I love learning about plants. A member of the tracking club recently asked about what plants we could use to make soap around here. He knew about Yucca roots, which you can pound in water to make a lather, but wondered what other plants he might investigate. Well, we do have some Soapwort (Saponaria officianalis) that grows in our area. I haven't seen much of it wild, but we have some to plant in our garden this year. Researching on the net I found out about another Saponin producing plant that grows in our area, the Soapwort Gentian (Gentiana saponaria.)

I found the reference in an 1882 herbal, The Medical Flora of Kansas. Definitely check that list out. Because of how much agriculture has changed the landscape, you may have a difficult time finding some of these plants, but I recognize others as common to our area. Even the wahoo (mentioned below) shows up in this Herbal. It claims the bark of the root has Tonic and antiperiodic properties. I believe antiperiodic refers to how it may prevent recurrence of some disease symptoms, like malaria. It describes the Papaw seed as a prompt and pleasant emetic. I have difficulty imagining any emetic as pleasant, but I suppose some could seem more pleasant than others.

While light on details, the list provides an interesting launching point for a study of wild Kansas herbs.