What is "chlorogalum"

The common names soap plant, soaproot and amole refer to the genus Chlorogalum. They are native to western North America, from Oregon to Baja California, and are mostly found in California.

Soap plants are perennial plants, with more or less elongated bulbs, depending on the species. The bulbs can be white or brown, and in most species have a fibrous coat. The flowers are borne on a long central stem, and appear to have six separate petals (not all are petals in the technical sense). There are six stamens, which are prominent in most species.