Common Name:

General Information

Entada spiralis is a shrub producing stems 25 metres or more long. These stems climb into the surrounding vegetation, twining around the growth for support[].
The stems and seeds are harvested from the wild for local use as a soap.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southeast Asia - Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia.

Habitat

Primary and secondary rain forest, most commonly in secondary growth; at elevations up to 540 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Climber
Height	25.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The seeds and bark are a rich source of saponins and can be used as a wash on the skin to treat a range of disorders including itching and parasites.

Other Uses

The bark and seeds are rich in saponins and are used as a hair shampoo, and also to wash the skin, clothes etc[].

Propagation

Seed - it has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing to speed up germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing.

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