San Antonio Natural Areas

Soap Operas!

Peggy Spring
Education Coordinator

Western Soapberry, Sapindus saponaria var. drummondii , "Jaboncillo"

The local western soapberry is a small or medium-sized tree that grows throughout Texas along fencerows, near streams and on woodland edges. Not be confused with its pesky, non-native cousin, Chinaberry, soapberry fruit clusters are at the terminal end of their branches. The bright yellow fruits appear in mid-summer after cream-colored flowers bloom in late spring and early summer. When the yellow 'berries' are crushed and shaken in water, saponins* from the berries produce a lather that can be used as soap. In Mexico and other areas, western soapberry later is still used to wash clothes and as a shampoo. You can try this yourself. Crush a few soapberries in water; give the container a vigorous shake; instant soap! Don't drink the soapy water, though; soapberries may cause gastrointestinal distress.

Throughout the world, there are species of soapberries (Sapindus mukorossi is the most common) that are used in commercial products. Many healthcare products include jaboncillo (another name for soapberry) in their list of natural ingredients; several of these can be found at http://www.entiere.com/ . Also, Greener Living Products, http://stores.buysoapnuts.com/StoreFront.bok, is one of many companies that sell 'soap nuts' and give instructions on how to use them as a laundry soap

Aside from a source of lather, soapberries have had a variety of other uses. The round hard seeds have been made into buttons, necklaces and rosaries. The fruits from soapberry, Mexican buckeye and several other species have been used to 'stupify' fish. When saponins from soapberries get in the water, they act as a surfactant that interferes with the absorption of oxygen in fish gills. This stuns fish and causes them to float to the surface where they are easily caught. If fish reach fresh water quickly enough, they will recover so they are not actually poisoned and are safe for people to eat when stunned.


Soap Operas! Peggy Spring Education Coordinator Western Soapberry, Sapindus saponaria var. drummondii , "Jaboncillo" The local western soapberry is a small or medium-sized tree that grows throughout Texas along fencerows, near streams and on woodland edges. Not be confused with its pesky, non-native cousin, Chinaberry, soapberry fruit clusters are at the terminal end of their branches. The bright yellow fruits appear in mid-summer after cream-colored flowers bloom in late spring and early summer. When the yellow 'berries' are crushed and shaken in water, saponins* from the berries produce a lather that can be used as soap. In Mexico and other areas, western soapberry later is still used to wash clothes and as a shampoo. You can try this yourself. Crush a few soapberries in water; give the container a vigorous shake; instant soap! Don't drink the soapy water, though; soapberries may cause gastrointestinal distress. Throughout the world, there are species of soapberries (Sapindus mukorossi is the most common) that are used in commercial products. Many healthcare products include jaboncillo (another name for soapberry) in their list of natural ingredients; several of these can be found at http://www.entiere.com/ . Also, Greener Living Products, http://stores.buysoapnuts.com/StoreFront.bok, is one of many companies that sell 'soap nuts' and give instructions on how to use them as a laundry soap Aside from a source of lather, soapberries have had a variety of other uses. The round hard seeds have been made into buttons, necklaces and rosaries. The fruits from soapberry, Mexican buckeye and several other species have been used to 'stupify' fish. When saponins from soapberries get in the water, they act as a surfactant that interferes with the absorption of oxygen in fish gills. This stuns fish and causes them to float to the surface where they are easily caught. If fish reach fresh water quickly enough, they will recover so they are not actually poisoned and are safe for people to eat when stunned.	On a Natural Areas field trip several years ago, after hearing the fish stunning story, a student asked me how the Indians knew that buckeyes would 'poison fish'. I had not a clue and gave the stock answer that a lot of things are discovered by trial and error. In researching this article, I came upon the information that in many places, plants that have saponins in them were pounded directly at the water source while clothes are being washed. It was likely that as water flowed away from the washing area, fish began to be affected and rose to the surface – hence easy gathering. What a fine example of multi-tasking! Perhaps our soapberry effects were discovered in a similar manner. 'Friends of the soapberry' also have soponins that are used in several ways. Yucca and agave roots can produce lather; the Navajo Indians use yucca roots in washing their sheep's wool that will be spun into fibers for weaving beautiful blankets. They also say that yucca shampoo makes hair shiny and grow longer. In the beverage industry, the saponin surfactants in yuccas have a completely different use. "In the beverage industry, yucca extract is used to prepare root beer, slush products, frozen carbonated beverages, foamy cocktail mixes, beer, juice & wine coolers. This ingredient is especially useful for maintaining natural foaming in low alcohol and no-alcohol beers." http://www.garudaint.com/product.php?id=5 So what about those soap operas? When they originated, house wives who were concerned with household duties like laundry were the target audience. Many soap manufacturers were sponsors and producers of the programs and 'soap operas' had arrived. But you don't have to be a soap opera fan to enjoy the gifts of soapberries and their friends. Find some soapberries, shake up a good lather and start cleaning! Better yet, take a walk in one of the San Antonio Natural Areas and see the western soapberries for yourself! A good time to go is in the fall when their brilliant yellow leaves make a nice contrast to the surrounding red oak leaves. Have a nice walk…… Saponins are secondary metabolites of plants. Specifically, they are amphipathic (hydrophilic and lipophilic) glycosides that produce soap-like foam when shaken in aqueous solution. They, like other surfactants, lower the surface tension of water aiding in freeing dirt, grime and oil from clothes. Suggested reading: Texas Trees by Paul Cox and Patty Leslie Trees, Shrubs and Vines of the Texas Hill Country by Jan Wrede Edible Useful Plants of Texas and the Southwest by Delena Tull Peggy Spring is Education Coordinator for the northern San Antonio Natural Area Parks.* HOME

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Soap Operas!

Peggy Spring Education Coordinator

Peggy Spring
Education Coordinator