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Summary
Sapindus saponaria or commonly known as Wingleaf Soapberry or Soapberry grows up to 16m tall and 60cm in trunk width. It is commonly found in South America, with its crown globose in shape, broad, and dense. Its leaves are alternate, pinnately compound comprising of 5-17 leaflets that are narrow and up to 18cm long. The flowers are white and fruits are one-seeded berries with yellow pulp and brown seed. The seeds yield oil that has medicinal properties. Moreover, the root and stem barks are astringent, bitter, and tonic while the fruit is diuretic and used against anemia. There is no known edible parts. The orange-brown fruit is used as a soap and hair shampoo. The seeds when crushed are used to make insecticide. Fiber obtained from the inner bark is made into ropes. The seeds are used in bead works, crafts, rosaries, and buttons. The wood is used for construction among others. The plant is highly tolerant of a wide range of soil and environmental conditions and an excellent pioneer species. Other common names include Wild Chinaberry, Florida Soap Berry, Soap Nut, and Soap Tree.
Physical Characteristics
Sapindus saponaria is an evergreen Tree growing to 10 m (32ft) by 8 m (26ft) at a medium rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10 and is frost tender. The flowers are pollinated by Insects.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay and nutritionally poor soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid, very alkaline and saline soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.
UK Hardiness Map
US Hardiness Map
Synonyms
Cupania saponarioides Sw. Sapindus abruptus Lour. Sapindus divaricatus Cambess. Sapindus drummondii
Plant Habitats
Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Oil
Edible Uses: Oil
None known
References More on Edible Uses
Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Astringent Bitter Diuretic Tonic
A medicinal oil has been obtained from the crushed seeds[307 ]. The root and stem barks are astringent, bitter and tonic[348 , 739 ]. The fruit is diuretic[348 ]. Rich in saponins, it is used for curing anaemia[739 ].
References More on Medicinal Uses
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Other Uses
Beads Buttons Containers Fibre Hair Insecticide Oil Pioneer Soap String Wood
Shade tree. Seaside. Small street tree. Botanic collection. Xerophytic. Agroforestry Uses: A plant of moderate growth-rate that is tolerant of a wide range of soils and environmental situations; provides food for the native fauna; materials and medicines for humans; and is tolerant of sunny situations, this is an excellent pioneer species to use when restoring native woodland and also for establishing woodland gardens[419 , K ]. Other Uses When cut up and soaked in water, the fleshy fruit (which smells of strawberries) produces soapy suds[307 ]. The husks contain about 30% saponins and are used in some areas to wash wool and silk with remarkable rejuvenating results[307 ]. The fruit is used as a soap and hair shampoo[348 ]. The orange-brown fruit is about 2cm in diameter[200 ]. An insecticide has been made from the crushed seeds[307 ]. An oil is obtained from the seed[46 ]. A fibre obtained from the inner bark is used to make ropes[451 ]. The ornamental, black, shiny seeds have been used as beads and for making craftwork, rosaries and buttons[307 , 451 ]. The heartwood is yellow to light brown; the sapwood whitish. The wood is coarse-textured, compact, hard, moderately heavy, not durable when exposed[307 , 419 ]. It can be used in building construction, making toys, boxes etc[419 , 447 ].
Special Uses
Attracts Wildlife Carbon Farming Food Forest
References More on Other Uses
Cultivation details
Industrial Crop: Oil Industrial Crop: Pesticide Industrial Crop: Soap Management: Standard Minor Global Crop
Succeeds in a sunny position in any well-drained soil[200 ]. Plants are very tolerant of a wide range of soils, including those that are dry, stony or nutrient deficient[200 ]. Established plants are very drought tolerant[307 ]. Tolerant of salt-laden winds[307 ]. Plants have a moderate rate of growth, able to reach a height of around 2.5 metres within 2 years from seed[419 ]. The flowers are mostly male, with some female flowers and also some bisexual. The male flowers are produced in great quantities, they seem to fall from the tree almost like rain and litter the ground beneath[447 ]. Flowering Time: Late Winter/Early Spring. Bloom Color: Cream/Tan.
Carbon Farming
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Industrial Crop: Oil
Materials, chemicals and energy include bioplastics, biomass, glycerin, soaps, lubricants, paints, biodiesel. Oilseed crop types.
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Industrial Crop: Pesticide
Many plants provide natural pesticides.
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Industrial Crop: Soap
Can be made from edible & inedible plant oils.
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Management: Standard
Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
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Minor Global Crop
These crops are already grown or traded around the world, but on a smaller scale than the global perennial staple and industrial crops, The annual value of a minor global crop is under $1 billion US. Examples include shea, carob, Brazil nuts and fibers such as ramie and sisal.
References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information
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Plant Propagation
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed or in individual containers. A low to moderate rate of germination can usually be expected, with the seed sprouting within 20 - 40 days[419 ]. When the seedbed-sown seedlings are 4 - 6cm tall, pot them up into individual containers and they should be ready to plant out 6 - 7 months later[419 ]. The seed stores well even when kept at ambient temperatures and humidity, still germinating satisfactorily after more than 12 months in storage[419 ]. Greenwood cuttings.
Other Names
If available other names are mentioned here
Bilo, Checo, Chereco, Cuyas, Focu, Jurupe, Pacon, Sasabila, Tasabia, amole, amole de bolita, bibi, bois de panama, boliche, casita-rá, cholulo, cuentas del xabon, devanador, false dogwood, fruta-de-sabão, gualulo, ina sasili, jaboncillo, jamoncillo, jequiriguaçú, jitó, manele, matamuchacho, palo blanco, palo de cueatas, palo jabon, palo jabón, para-para, pau-de-sabão, pipal, pipe, quillai iba-ro, saboeira, sabonete, saboneteira, sabão-de-macaco, sabão-de-soldado, savonnier, savonnier des antilles, seifenbaum, soapberry, soaptree, southern soapberry, såpbärsträd, tehoitzli, tehuistle, tehuixtle, tehuiztle, western soapberry, wing-leaf soapberry, wingleaf soapberry, yamole (nahuatli), yamolli, yuquití.
Native Range
NORTHERN AMERICA: United States (Florida, Georgia, South Carolina), Mexico (Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Durango, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tamaulipas, Campeche, Chiapas, Colima, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, México, Michoacán de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Puebla, Querétaro, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, Yucatán) SOUTHERN AMERICA: Hispaniola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, Martinique, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador, Suriname, Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Argentina (north), Paraguay
Weed Potential
Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section.
Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed
Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.
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Botanical References
Links / References
For a list of references used on this page please go here
A special thanks to Ken Fern for some of the information used on this page.
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Subject : Sapindus saponaria
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