Saponaria pumila, commonly known as Dwarf Soapwort, is a perennial herb that is native to alpine and subalpine zones in the eastern Alps of Austria and Italy, as well as the southern parts of the Eastern Carpathians in Romania. It typically forms low, dense mats of foliage, reaching up to 10 cm in height. Dwarf Soapwort is characterized by its lance-shaped leaves and clusters of small, star-shaped pink flowers that bloom in the summer months. The flowers are modest in size but can be quite showy due to their abundance.

Dwarf Soapwort is valued for its ability to create a lush ground cover in rock gardens and alpine troughs, where it can be appreciated for its low-maintenance nature and tolerance of poor, rocky soils. It requires well-drained soil to prevent root rot and thrives in full sun to partial shade conditions. While it is not widely known for its medicinal or culinary uses, it is sometimes used in traditional soap making due to its saponin content, which produces a lather when combined with water. Gardeners should note that, despite its delicate appearance, Saponaria pumila is quite hardy and can survive in harsh mountainous climates.CC BY-SA 4.0