We have recently published ‘Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions’: i.e. tropical and sub-tropical regions. We rely on regular donations to keep our free database going and help fund development of this and another book we are planning on food forest plants for Mediterranean climates. Please give what you can to keep PFAF properly funded. More >>>

Follow Us:

 

Sapindus drummondii - Hook.&Arn.

Common Name Western Soapberry
Family Sapindaceae
USDA hardiness 7-10
Known Hazards The seed is poisonous[1]. The fruit is poisonous[149].
Habitats Limestone bluffs, slopes and by streams[43], in moist clay or dry limestone[82]. Mexican valleys from the upper desert to the woodland zones[181].
Range South-western N. America - Kansas to Northern Mexico.
Edibility Rating    (1 of 5)
Other Uses    (3 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (1 of 5)
Care (info)
Frost Hardy Well drained soil Moist Soil Full sun
Sapindus drummondii Western Soapberry


Jeff McMillian @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Sapindus drummondii Western Soapberry
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Vol. 2

 

Translate this page:

Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of lolypop
Sapindus drummondii is a deciduous Tree growing to 12 m (39ft 4in) at a slow rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 8. It is in leaf from April to October, in flower from May to June, and the seeds ripen in November. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant).
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

S. saponaria drummondii. (Hook.&Arn.)L.Benson.

Plant Habitats

Woodland Garden Secondary; Sunny Edge;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit
Edible Uses:

Fruit[105]. No more details from this report but another report says that it is poisonous[149]. The berry-like fruits have a leathery coat that contains poisonous saponins[229]. The fruit is about 15mm in diameter[200] and often hangs on the tree until the following spring[82].

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.
Antirheumatic  Febrifuge  Kidney  Poultice

The fruit is antirheumatic and febrifuge[149]. It is used in the treatment of kidney diseases[149, 227]. A poultice of the sap has been used to treat wounds[257].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

The Bookshop: Edible Plant Books

Our Latest books on Perennial Plants For Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens in paperback or digital formats.

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Tropical Plants

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

More
Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Temperate Plants

Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

More
PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital media.
More Books

PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital formats. Browse the shop for more information.

Shop Now

Other Uses

Buttons  Soap  Wood

A soap is obtained from the fruit by rubbing the fruit in water[1, 11, 95, 103]. Used in Mexico for washing clothes[227]. The fruit can be dried and stored for later use[169]. Buttons and necklaces are made from the seed[149]. Wood - heavy, strong and close-grained[82, 149]. It weighs 51lb per cubic foot[227]. It splits easily into thin strips and is often used in basket making, it is also used as a fuel[61, 82, 227, 229].

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Succeeds in any well-drained soil in full sun[220]. This species tolerates a wide range of soils, including those that are dry, stony and nutrient deficient[200]. One report says that this species will probably not survive long outdoors in Britain, even though it is the hardiest member of the genus[1]. Another says that it is quite hardy in Britain[11] whilst a third says that it can tolerate temperatures down to about -7°c[200]. A specimen planted at Kew in 1987 was 2½ metres tall and looking very healthy in August 1999[K]. Trees are relatively slow-growing in the wild[229].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

image

The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

Shop Now

Plant Propagation

Seed - requires some cold stratification. Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water and sow in a cold frame in mid-winter. Move to a greenhouse in early spring. The seed should germinate in late spring. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant out in early summer. Cuttings of almost ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Fairly good percentage[78].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

NORTHERN AMERICA: United States (Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, Louisiana, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona), Mexico

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 :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Sapindus marginatusWingleaf soapberryTree15.0 7-10 SLMHNDM103
Sapindus mukorossiChinese Soapberry, Soap Berry, Chinese Soapberry, Soapnut TreeTree20.0 8-12 FLMHNDM124
Sapindus saponariaSoapberry, Wild Chinaberry, Florida Soap Berry, Soap Nut, Soap TreeTree10.0 10-12 MLMHNDM024

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.

 

Expert comment

Author

Hook.&Arn.

Botanical References

1143200

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

Add a comment

If you have important information about this plant that may help other users please add a comment or link below. Only comments or links that are felt to be directly relevant to a plant will be included. If you think a comment/link or information contained on this page is inaccurate or misleading we would welcome your feedback at [email protected]. If you have questions about a plant please use the Forum on this website as we do not have the resources to answer questions ourselves.

* Please note: the comments by website users are not necessarily those held by PFAF and may give misleading or inaccurate information.

To leave a comment please Register or login here All comments need to be approved so will not appear immediately.

Subject : Sapindus drummondii  
© 2010, Plants For A Future. Plants For A Future is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Charity No. 1057719, Company No. 3204567.