Nature November 20, 2020

Bouncing Betty soapworts

One of the customs traveling the prairie was to leave behind something useful for the next wagon train to find

There was a steady line of pioneers coming after you on the open plains.
They were dusty and dirty getting their clothes clean was a pain

A lady named Betty left a useful welcoming gift.
She was one of the early pioneers and she wanted to lift

All the ladies that tried hard to find a way to clean their clothes


so she would take some cuttings from her Soapwort plant So the story goes

Soapwort was used as a laundry powder in pioneer days
It actually creates a cleansing soap, so the ladies all say

Everywhere Betty camped she left new soapwort plants
ready
Over time the plant became known as the “Bouncing Betty”

Betty bounced her way across the prairie, it earned her some fame

It’s also how bouncing Betty got her name

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