Common Name: Soapwood

General Information

Soapwood is a tree with a dense, spreading crown; usually growing up to 25 metres tall but with exceptional specimens to 45 metres[, ]. The moderately straight bole is cylindrical; around 75 - 100cm in diameter[ with thick buttresses; and unbranched for almost half its height[, ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of soap and wood. The wood is of good quality and is also exported[, ].

Known Hazards

The ground up fruit is used as a potent fish poison[].

Botanical References

,

Range

S. America - Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas.

Habitat

Rainforests, preferring areas free from periodic inundation[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	25.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

Edible seed - raw[, , , ]. The seed can be up to 5cm x 4cm[].

An edible oil is obtained from the seed[].

Medicinal

The shell of the fruit is burned along with maize (Zea mays) and banana peels, then mixed with cinnamon and anise in water, and ingested to cure diarrhoea[].

The ash of the burnt bark is used in the treatment of dysentery[].

The seed is used to regulate menstruation[].
The seed contains a buttery substance that is used to soothe burns[].

Other Uses

The inner bark is used for washing hair, clothes etc[].
The stem bark is rich in saponins and is used as a hair wash[].

The heartwood is greyish brown to yellow brown; it is not always sharply demarcated from the 3 - 5cm wide band of sapwood that is white or pale yellow, occasionally with dark or almost black streaks. The texture is medium to coarse; the grain roey or straight; there is no discernible odour or taste once seasoned. The wood is decidedly heavy; moderately hard; strong; tough; and fairly durable, being resistant to termites and fungi, but susceptible to dry wood borers. It is rather slow to season, with a high risk of checking or distortion; once dry it is poorly stable in service. The wood is not difficult to work with ordinary tools, but sawing and machining require sharp tools in order to avoid a fuzzy surface due to the interlocked grain; it finishes smoothly, making it suitable for purposes requiring strength and resistance to moisture; it nails and screws well, but requires pre-boring; gluing is poor. The wood has a wide range of applications, including for heavy carpentry, heavy flooring, cooperage, exterior panelling, construction, tool handles and ship building[, ]. It is used locally for making canoes and piling[].

Propagation

Seed - takes 6 - 12 months to germinate[]. Grow young plants on in a sheltered position with some shelter from the sun[].

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