Baby's breath, Soapwort root
Gypsophila paniculata
Family: Caryophyllaceae
What it is like
A herb. It keeps growing from year to year. The roots are stout. There is a single stem. It grows 30-80 cm tall. The leaves are sword shaped or narrow and 2-5 cm long by 3-7 mm wide.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It grows in grassland and rocky slopes as well as on dunes and flooded land. In China it grows between 1,100-1,500 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Arabia, Asia, Balkans, Caucasus, Central Asia, China, Europe, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Micronesia, Middle East, Mongolia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Palau, Russia, SE Asia, Serbia, Siberia
How it is used for food
The root is used to make a frothy vegetable cream used as a dip for cookies.
It is cultivated.
Edible parts
Root