Practical
Plants

Sapindus drummondii

Western Soapberry

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Sapindus genus in the family Sapindaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
slow
Height
12 m
Flower type
monoecious

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 seed is poisonous[1]. The fruit is poisonous[5].

Edible uses

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

Fruit[3]. No more details from this report but another report says that it is poisonous[5]. The berry-like fruits have a leathery coat that contains poisonous saponins[11]. The fruit is about 15mm in diameter[8] and often hangs on the tree until the following spring[16].

Plant part
Fruit

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.

The fruit is antirheumatic and febrifuge[5]. It is used in the treatment of kidney diseases[5][10]. A poultice of the sap has been used to treat wounds[12].

Product or use
Antirheumatic
Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Kidney
Product or use
Poultice

Material uses

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

A soap is obtained from the fruit by rubbing the fruit in water[1][4][17][2]. Used in Mexico for washing clothes[10]. The fruit can be dried and stored for later use[6]. Buttons and necklaces are made from the seed[5]. Wood - heavy, strong and close-grained[16][5]. It weighs 51lb per cubic foot[10]. It splits easily into thin strips and is often used in basket making, it is also used as a fuel[14][16][10][11].

Product or use
Buttons
Product or use
Soap
Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Secondary canopy

Environment

Range
South-western N. America - Kansas to Northern Mexico.
Habitat
Limestone bluffs, slopes and by streams[13], in moist clay or dry limestone[16]. Mexican valleys from the upper desert to the woodland zones[7].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 8+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
drought
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

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

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[15].

Cultivation

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

Succeeds in any well-drained soil in full sun[9]. This species tolerates a wide range of soils, including those that are dry, stony and nutrient deficient[8]. 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[4] whilst a third says that it can tolerate temperatures down to about -7°c[8]. 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[11].

References

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Haywood. V. H. Flowering Plants of the World. Oxford University Press ISBN 0-19-217674-9

    ↩

  3. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  4. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  5. Vines. R. A. Trees of Central Texas. University of Texas Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0-292-78958-3

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  6. Buchanan. R. A Weavers Garden.

    ↩

  7. Pesman. M. W. Meet Flora Mexicana. Dale S. King. Arizona. 1962-00-00

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

  9. Stapleton. C. Bamboos of Nepal The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew 1994-00-00 ISBN 0947643680

    ↩

  10. Vines. R.A. Trees of North Texas University of Texas Press. 1982-00-00 ISBN 0292780206

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  11. Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980-00-00 ISBN 0442238622

    ↩1↩2↩3

  12. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩

  13. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩

  14. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

  15. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩

  16. Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20278-X

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  17. Saunders. C. F. Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada. Dover Publications 1976-00-00 ISBN 0-486-23310-3

    ↩

Edit this page