Soap tree
Gymnocladus chinensis
Family: Fabaceae
What it is like
A tree. It grows 9 m high. The leaves are large and up to 1 m long. They have up to 24 oblong leaflets. These can be 35 mm long. Trees are separately male and female. The flowers are lilac coloured. The are along downy clusters. The fruit is pulpy and 10 cm long. There are 2-4 seeds that are blackish and 2 cm across.
There are 4 Gymnocladus species. Also as Caesalpinaceae.
Where it is found
It is a subtropical plant. In SE China it grows in mountain slopes and mixed forests between 100-1,500 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 9-10. In Sichuan.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, China, Myanmar, SE Asia
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Seeds
How it is grown
Plants are grown from seed.
Its other names
Local names
Fei Tsao Chia