Tree Species (Scientific Name)
Sapindus saponaria
Product
English Common Name
Wingleaf soapberry, Soap Bush, Soap Nut Tree
Colombian Common Name
Chambimbe, chumbimbo, jaboncillo
Tree Family
Sapindaceae
Average Leaf Size (cm)
35cm
Length
×
15cm
Width
Tree Height
Large (> 35m)
Elevational Range (m)
0–1500m
Distribution
Native
Exotic
Native to Colombia
Native to
Region
Argentina, Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Caribbean, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Florida, French Guiana, Georgia, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Honduras, Jamaica, Leeward Islands, Marquesas, Mexico, Mississippi (U.S.A.), Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Society Islands, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, Venezuela, Windward Islands
Colombia
Antioquia, Boyacá, Cauca, Cundinamarca, Huila, Valle del Cauca
Exotic in
Latin America
Africa, Asia
Coffee Agroforestry Information
Coffee System
Arabica
Coffee Impact
Unknown
Cultivation
Planted
Natural
Tree Management
Propagated by seeds and seedlings.
Tree Benefits and Uses
Farmer Uses
- Product
Used to make soap. Used to make handicrafts.
Farm Services
- Windbreak
- Carbon Capture
- Water Protection
Used for water protection and decontamination It can be planted in living fences and is an efficient barrier against winds.
Biodiversity Benefits
Yes
Attracts biological control agents, Attracts seed dispersers, Attracts pollinators. Attracts different bird species with its flowers and fruits. Among the birds that feed on this tree are some thrushes, tanagers and even seedeaters.
Citations
Citations
Plants of the World Online (POWO). (2024). Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/;
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). (2024). IUCN Red List. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from https://www.iucnredlist.org/;
United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Service. (2024). Plants Database. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from https://plants.usda.gov/home/;
Román, F., De Liones, R., Sautu, A., Deago, J., & Hall, J. S. (2012). Guía para la propagación de 120 especies de árboles nativos de Panama y el neotrópico. Retrieved from https://repository.si.edu/bitstream/handle/10088/20967/stri_GUIA_PROPAGACION.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y;
Universidad EIA. (2024). Catálogo virtual de Flora del Valle de Aburrá. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from https://catalogofloravalleaburra.eia.edu.co/;
World Flora Online. (2024). World Flora Online. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from https://www.worldfloraonline.org/;
Universidad Nacional de Colombia. (2024). Nombres Comunes de las Plantasde Colombia. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/es/;
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). (2024). GBIF. Published on the Internet. Retrieved from https://www.gbif.org/es/