Soapberries – FranLaff.com

Do you already know this species? Click the arrows to check…

Common Name

Soapberries

Scientific Name

Sapindus spp.

More Clues to ID

This genus contains about a dozen species of shrubs and small trees, each with fruits that can be used to make a lathering soap.

The fruits (drupes often called soap nuts) of this genus contain saponins – good for making a lathering soap.

~ Click any pic to open slideshow ~

Learn about this species:

All but one species in this genus have alternate, pinnately compound leaves, often with no terminal leaflet. The one which does not has simple leaves and is found only in Hawaii.

Image Credits

A. J. T. Johnsingh, WWF-India and NCF, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Salil Kumar Mukherjee, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Vinayaraj, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Vinayaraj, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Hiobson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Hiobson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
André Koehne, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
David Eickhoff from Pearl City, Hawaii, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
João Medeiros, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
David Eickhoff from Pearl City, Hawaii, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Pssst…

Did you know that this and other species are waiting their turns to be added to Fran’s FREE online courses, like the PLANTS course, or the BIRDS course?

This relative of the European Robin nests across Eurasia, can sometimes be found in small numbers in North America, and overwinters in Africa.

Visit this Species

Birders in the eastern half of America welcome this bird as one of their most colorful and recognizable, with its classic blue plumage, contrasted with a little red and white

Visit this Species

This bright, tropical-looking black and yellow bird from Southeast Asia is related to chickadees and titmice

Visit this Species

These plants CAN be a nuisance, with some species having stinging hairs… BUT they are edible and highly nutritious, with various other uses as well!

Visit this Species

This humble plant is easily overlooked, both in its quiet early blooming and later leaf unfurling. You can find it in wetlands and riverine forests in the NE quarter of the US, up into Canada.

Visit this Species

This is the species that is used as THE cultivated walnut tree. It has pinnately compound leaves with about 7 alternate leaflets, larger towards the tip or terminal end.

Visit this Species

These nearly ubiquitous, often evergreen vines are almost entirely edible outside of their berries. Try their tender tendrils. 😉

Visit this Species

This black-white-and-grey bird points its slender bill downwards – or tilts it comically upwards – as it spirals face-first down tree trunks and round and round branches, searching for insects to devour

Visit this Species

Load MORE Random Species