Soap Berries Don’t Have Suds.

Question

I bought a Western soap berry tree in 2009 and it is the 2nd yr. of producing berries. I even boil them to make suds but I don’t get any.

Answer 1

Soapberry has translucent fruits in fall and winter that contain saponin, which causes the fruits to soap up when crushed or sliced in water. Is it possible you have a Chinaberry tree instead of soapberry? They are very similar and often confused. Chinaberry trees have lavender flowers in spring and Soapberry has cream colored flowers. Chinaberry fruit is opaque during the winter.