| Soap Nut | |
| Saponaria detergens | |
| a.k.a. Ritha, Soapberry, Soapnut |
A tropical Indian tree best-known for its grape-sized fruits which can be used as a detergent. The fruits contain a high amount of saponin and when added to water, suds up just like your household laundry detergent!
Description: A semi-deciduous tropical tree that can reach up to 50-60ft, though many specimens remain shorter. Leaves are aranged in leaflets, with up to 10 pairs per leaf. Fruits grow to 1-1 1/2" and ripen to a yellow-orange color. Each fruit contains a single large, hard-shelled seed.
Hardiness: Exact hardiness unknown. Some of its near relatives survive freezes, but this tropical native is probably not hardy to hard freezes or prolonged frosts.
Growing Environment: Grow in full sun. Provide regular water, particularly during warm months. Grow in well-drained soil.
Propagation: By seeds. Seeds should be soaked in luke warm water for 24hrs prior to planting. Seeds typically germinate in several weeks to a few months.
Uses: Dried fruits are used as soap. In recent years the dried fruits have been marketed for washing clothes. A couple of them added to a load of laundry in the washing machine works much like your favorite detergent.
Native Range: Native to Asia, concentrated in parts of India.