Anyone with spare Soapnut or Soapberry seeds or seedlings?

Here's one that will test the mettle of the dedicated seed savers here :)

Does anyone have spare Sapindus mukorossi (Soapnut Tree) or Sapindus saponaria (Soapberry Tree) seeds or seedlings to share? I'd love to get hold of the Soapberry in particular but haven't been able to find any to date. We get heavy frosts here and I believe the Soapberry handles frost better than the taller Soapnut Tree though I'd happily try growing the Soapnut Tree as well, no harm in trying especially if it works! We use soapnuts throughout our house now and my son no longer struggles with eczema so it would be fantastic to get some trees growing at our place - then we can spread the love easier as well!

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Yvonne Nikolaison on February 22, 2010 at 4:51pm

I would also be keen. The only place I have seen them is on trademe. I think it was about late winter. Hopefully someone else will be able to help us out.

Permalink Reply by Angie Gibbons on March 30, 2010 at 2:13pm

Also keen if anyone has them, wanting to do some planting in parks so in 20 years will be able to harvest!

Permalink Reply by Vicki Hill on March 30, 2010 at 3:57pm

No word yet - I have found Mukorossi on a website called EcoMoon but I'd much prefer the Saponaria. Hopefully something will come up.

Permalink Reply by Leanne Daharja on March 30, 2010 at 4:43pm

Hi,

Not much to do with soapberries and soapnuts, but to do with eczema. The following is what I found works well for me, and I thought I'd share. Hope I don't offend anyone for this being off topic.

I get a bit of it, and instead of shampoo and conditioner (ALL of which I am allergic to!) I use bicarb soda and apple cider vinegar. Works a treat.

For shampoo, I use about a tablespoon of bicarb dissolved in a cup of warm water (under the shower tap). Scrub it through my hair, let it sit for about 30 secs, then rinse.

For conditioner, about the same - a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a cup of warm water. Pour it on (careful not to get it in my eyes as it stings), let it sit, then rinse.

My hair has never been better, and I don't get any of those nasty head rashes any more.

And for soap, plain sorbolene works well. You can buy it in bulk from chemists and bulk health stores. I just use it with one of those plastic netty scrubber things you buy in the supermarket for a couple of dollars, that are really glorified onion bags on a string.

Cheers,

Leanne

Permalink Reply by Yvonne Nikolaison on April 2, 2010 at 5:50pm

I found this info. " We offer two varieties of soap nut trees; The Soapnut Tree (Sapindus mukorossi) and the Soapberry Tree (Sapindus saponaria). At the moment we only have the Sapindus mukorossi in stock." www.soapnuts.co.nz Hope this helps. Apparently very good for excema too.

Permalink Reply by Vicki Hill on April 2, 2010 at 7:25pm

Thanks Yvonne - already in communication with them and they're going to let me know when/if they get the saponaria in again. Might be a lost cause :)

Permalink Reply by Kate and Olly on May 13, 2010 at 1:09pm

I think we got ours from soapnuts.co.nz too

We are still tying to deal with the casing. We tried to crack one but there was a fine line between the hammer bouncing and terminal results. I will attempt the fine metalwork file next spring I think as it appeals as a more controlled option.

Permalink Reply by Vicki Hill on May 13, 2010 at 2:19pm

Good to know. I actually just found a seed in my latest order of soapnuts. Much smaller than I expected and I'd heard they were tough to score so I'm a bit nervous about trying it. Will see if I can find a file, as you suggest. Thanks!

Permalink Reply by Todd Saunders on September 12, 2010 at 5:27pm

I have soapwort if you'd like some? I've found the flowers of some camellias produce a lot of sapoin. No soapberries but I've seen them for sale on trade me.

Permalink Reply by Dunja Balmer on October 8, 2010 at 1:31pm