Wanted: Soap Nut Tree

fruitist says...

http://www.soapnuts.co.nz/Plant-a-SoapNut-Tree%7C%7Clearn-how-to-grow-your-own-soap/Soapnuts/Grow-a-Soapberry-Tree-SAPINDUS-saponaria.html

On the left panel is the seeds link. Click on it. The saponaria sopecies is one of the 2 species permitted by ICON. The real mccoy mukorossi from India not permitted.

I think I have seen another of its close relatives in FNQ, one of the rarest plant and considered a holy grail by plant collectors.

BJ, if you are thinking of buying the 5 pack saponaria, please let me know.

fruitist says...
Hi Micarle, thanks for the info. Any chance to look around under the tree and collect some seeds for a poor collector? Or the Friends have got some seedlings?

fruitist says...
Flowers are either male or female but both on the same tree. Very hot in Sydney, same here in Brisbane.

speedy says...
I checked that tree last year for any signs that it may have fruited or flowered.
...couldn't see any.
It could be worth attempting to graft to another Sapindus species to secure it
in case another individual can be found to exchange pollen with.

fruitist says...
Thanks Speedy and Micarle for your info and help. I will ask my FNQ friends to see if they have the trees.

Micarle, when you set up your heated bench in the glasshouse, please don't forget to propagate some Lindera glauca cuttings.

BJ says...
There are some seeds on the eBay now...

krazykangaroo says...
You can't import them so you have to find a seed supplier in Aus.

epiphany says...
As an aside, are the seeds you sometimes find in the soapnuts you can buy online for laundry purposes, etc, viable? I sometimes find them when I use them...

micarle says...
For germination???

kert says...
Not for germination, Micarle ;use a vaporizer for cuttings eg blueberries.

amanda says...
Jantina did u ever track down any soap nut seeds? Did anyone?
I jsut tried them for the first time and they actually worked...!?
How great would it be to be able to grow them ourselves and be free of commercial washing powders..?

Rabindra says...
Hello ,
If you like we can send you seed and you can try for its germination. We can send you plant too but its late. It will be easy to send the newly germinated plant inJuly.Please suggest.
Thanks

Ki says...
I would also love to grow a soapnut tree so can we source seeds or seedlings in Australia and if so where and from whom?

Ki says...
After one disastrous attempt to buy seeds from overseas which were destroyed by Quarantine I asked them which ones were allowed to be imported. These are Sapindus Saponaria and I bought 2 packets very inexpensively from Trade Winds Fruit online. I haven't germinated them yet but fingers crossed in some years I may be harvesting my own Soapberry.

BroJoe1 says...
Hi Ki

I am a (committee) member of the Tamborine Sustainable Gardener's Society, but I live a Logan Village.

Did you get and germinate the soapnut seeds?

Do they have a thick shell like the Indian soapnuts, which may need to be scarified (pierced)?

best wishes

Lauran says...
Are we able to get nuts off you or some germinated seedlings by any chance?

John Mc says...
The seller tells me they are the mukorossi variety. Can anyone tell me viability of them?

Rochelle says...
Hey Guys,

Did anyone manage to get hold of some seeds that they wouldn't mind sharing?
I am over in Kununurra at the top end of W/A and looking to grow something like this.

Holly@preciousplasticnr says...
Soapnuts can I come and see you in brisbane!?

AmandaPotter says...
Hello Everyone 👋

Loved reading this thread !

I live in Western Sydney NSW and looking to buy a seedling.

Just wondering how everyone went on their journey

Linton says...
Hello there nice to meet you regarding your question about growing soap nut trees in Adelaide.

I can tell you that the Chinese Soap Nut, Sapindus mukorossi grows easily in Melbourne although it is naturally deciduous so it loses all of its leaves in winter which quickly grow back at the end of winter. The tree then grows rapidly over the warmer months. S. mukorossi pictured with new spring foliage.

Two things to consider, firstly they don't like soggy soil so they may perish if your soil is too wet over winter. But they do like hot summers and do best in full sun. Secondly, they might never produce the berries in Victoria or S.A. and I don't know anyone in Melbourne who have mukorossi trees that have ever fruited.

My suggestion would be to grow the closely related Western Soap Nut, Sapindus saponaria which may be more likely to produce soap berries in our southern regions than it's Chinese counterpart. It has been suggested that S.saponaria might be slightly more cold hardy and it is definitely drought hardy once established so it should suit your conditions in S.A.

I hope I can get one of these trees to produce some soap nuts soon as I am waiting to have a nice soapy wash. Yours Soapily....

Pictures - Click to enlarge
Picture: 1

Linton says...
Coming back to your further questions I dont grow S saponaria yet but still working on it. I think that only S. mukorossi is grown in Australia so seeds of the other species would need to be sourced from one of the overseas sellers. Just need to ascertain which one is a quality supplier that can comply with all of the import requirements like commercial packaging, phyto, etc.

The Mukorossi tree I am growing is still far too young to produce fruit and like I said previously I don't know of anyone in Australia who has any Sapindus tree that has fruited. One advantage of S. saponaria, Maja, is that it seems to be a smaller tree than mukorossi which can get quite large.

Thanks for listening.