Common Name:

General Information

Gleditsia australis is a deciduous tree growing 3 - 20 metres tall. The trunk and branches are armed with robust, branched spines 3 - 5cm long[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and hair shampoo. It is sometimes cultivated and traded for medicinal use and for its pods, which are used to make a popular hair shampoo in Vietnam[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - southern China (Guangdong, Guangxi ), northern and central Vietnam

Habitat

Gentle slopes, mountain valleys, forests, near roads, by streams, sunny places[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	10.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Gleditsia australis is not very cold tolerant. It is found in the subtropics and lower tropics of southern China and Vietnam.
Grows best in a sunny position[]. Prefers a deep, moist, fertile soil[]. Gleditsia species are generally easy to grow, being tolerant of a range of soils, so long as they are well-drained, and of atmospheric pollution[].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

The brownish-black seedpods can be straight or slightly curved, 6 - 12cm long and 10 - 25mm wide. They contain 5 - 12 deep brown to brownish black, slightly compressed, elliptic to oblong seeds 7 - 11mm long and 4 - 5mm wide[].

Medicinal

The seedpods are bechic, expectorant, depurative, emetic and purgative[]. They are used in the treatment of coughs, flatulence, intestinal obstruction[].
The dried and powdered seedpods are also used as a suppository in the treatment of intestinal obstruction[]. The smoke of burned pods is inhaled to clear nasal obstruction, loosen mucus, and to get rid of it at the beginning of a cold[, ].
The seedpods are used to make a hair shampoo that is considered to be an effective treatment for dandruff[, ].
The liquid obtained from macerating the pods in alcohol is applied to contusions[].

The seeds are antidote. They are prescribed in the treatment of metal poisoning, and are taken as an inhalation to treat apoplexy, hemiplegia and general paralysis[]. They are a folk remedy for resuscitating a drowned person - the powdered seeds are placed in the nostrils or anus of the drowned person[].

The spines are used in the treatment of skin diseases, ulcers, mammillitis[].

The plant contains saponins and various flavonoids, including luteolin, saponaretin, vitexin, homoorientin and orientin. Of these, saponaretin has been shown to have antiviral activity[].

Agroforestry Uses:

Trees have a light canopy, they come into leaf late in the season and usually drop their leaves early[] making them an excellent top storey tree in a woodland garden[].
When planted close together and severely pruned, most Gleditsia species form good windbreaks and hedges. With their usually very spiny trunks and branches, the hedge becomes an effective barrier, and with its ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, it also enriches the soil[, ].

Other Uses

The seedpods contain up to 10% saponins[]. They can be used as a soap substitute and are the basis of a popular hair shampoo in Vietnam that is considered to be an effective antidandruff treatment[].

An extract of the whole plant is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as an antioxidant[].
An extract of the fruit is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a skin conditioner[].
An extract of the seed is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a hair conditioner[].
An extract of the spines is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a skin conditioner[].

Propagation

Seed - it has a hard seedcoat and benefits 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. Sow the treated seed in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed. A good germination rate can be expected, with the seed sprouting within 28 - 35 days[]. When the seedlings are 5 - 7cm tall, pot them up into individual containers and they should be ready to plant out 5 - 6 months later[].

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