Practical
Plants

Quillaja saponaria

Soap-Bark Tree

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Quillaja genus in the family Rosaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Rosaceae
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
slow
Height
18 m
Spread
6 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The plant is toxic if taken internally, tending to dissolve the blood corpuscles[4]. The bark, and possibly other parts of the plant, contains saponins[8]. Although toxic, saponins are very poorly absorbed by the body and so tend to pass through without causing harm, they are also destroyed by thorough cooking. Saponins are found in many plants, including several that are often used for food, such as certain beans. It is advisable not to eat large quantities of food that contain saponins. Saponins are much more toxic to some creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams, lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish[K].

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Soap bark tree has a long history of medicinal use with the Andean people who used it especially as a treatment for various chest problems[7]. The saponin content of the bark helps to stimulate the production of a more fluid mucous in the airways, thus facilitating the removal of phlegm through coughing[7]. The tree is useful for treating any condition featuring congested catarrh within the chest, but it should not be used for dry irritable coughs[7]. The inner bark contains about 9% of complex saponins, known collectively as 'quillajasaponin'[6]. It also contains calcium oxalate and tannin[6]. It has been used internally as a stimulating expectorant, though it can cause irritation and inflammation of the digestive tract and so is no longer considered safe[8][6]. The internal use of this plant needs to be carefully overseen by a professional practitioner[7]. Sap bark tree is used as a source of compounds for the pharmaceutical industry[6]. It is still used externally as a cutaneous stimulant in the treatment of skin ulcers and eruptions, dandruff etc[4][6].

Product or use
Expectorant
Product or use
Skin
Product or use
Stimulant

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The fresh or dried inner bark is a soap substitute[8][3][4]. It contains about 9% saponins and is a very gentle and effective cleaner[3][4]. It is used for cleaning textiles and the skin[1][9][3][4]. It can also be used as a hair tonic[3][4]. The saponins are also used in anti-dandruff shampoos and exfoliant cleansers[6]. They are used as a foaming agent in fire extinguishers[6]. The bark also contains considerable quantities of carbonate of lime[1].

Product or use
Hair care
Product or use
Soap

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Secondary canopy

Environment

Range
S. America - Chile, Peru.
Habitat
Mountainous regions on the western slopes of the Andes[3][4].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 10+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. 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 and give some protection from the cold for at least their first winter outdoors. Cuttings of fully ripe wood of the current year's growth, November in a frame[6].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a well-drained fertile soil in a sunny position[5]. Plants are hardy to about -12°c in their natural range in South America[2] but they usually require greenhouse protection in Britain[1]. They can succeed outdoors in the milder areas of this country, often as small shrubs but making a tree in the very mildest areas[2]. The young growth in spring can be damaged by late frosts, so it is best to site the plant in a position sheltered from the early morning sun. This species is cultivated for the saponins in its bark in some warm temperate areas of the world[6].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Taylor. J. The Milder Garden. Dent 1990-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. Buchanan. R. A Weavers Garden.

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  4. Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  5. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩

  6. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9

  7. Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  8. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  9. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

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