Charlies Soap, Rockin Green, DIY....
Bac-out, Biokelln, Borax....SIGH!
I was a mom on a mission..and I wasn't sure why,
But I found my solution in Sapindus drummondii. (no idea if that rhymes)
When I discovered that I could get soap nuts (or berries actually) from the Western Soapberry tree that grows right here in North Texas, I set out on a mission with my arborist husband to locate the tree. I mean, who better to take along that a bonafide ISA Certified Arborist, right? I did some research online and he made some calls to a couple of other arborists and a state forester. With what I thought to be a fairly good description of what we were looking for, we went on an afternoon adventure from which we returned...with an abundant harvest......of CHINABERRIES. Nasty, invasive, stinky, ugly little pale white soap berry imposters!
Somewhat discouraged and defeated, my hopes were dashed. Until that glorious day..when the one I love was trimming some trees for a friend. When I showed up to bring his lunch, I found him gazing upwards in awe and disbelief. He was standing in the middle of a GROVE of the elusive Western Soapberry trees loaded with the elusive golden berries, exploding with the soap of my dreams.
Though the adventure is a story worth telling...I hope that my tips help you in finding the right berries, the first time.
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| The berries on the left side of the photo are Chinaberries. They are pale and stinky, and notice how they grow on the very end of the stem. The golden berries on the right are the Western Soapberries. Sometimes, they may have some black spots, but they look very different from the pale berries of the Chinaberry tree. These soap berries were harvested in springtime, and will grow dark if allowed to remain on the tree during summer. |
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| This is the bark of the Western Soapberry tree. Mature trees are 20 to 50 feet tall. The thin bark is split by deep fissures into long narrow plates. The bark is grayish to reddish-brown and scaly. |
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| This is the Chinaberry tree. It ranges from brown to dark red. The bark is much smoother, especially the young trees. It can also reach a height of 50 feet. |
