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Sapindus mukorossi
Also called Indian soapberry, Washing Nuts, North Indian Soapnut, Reetha, Indian Soapberry, Washnut, Ritha
Sapindus mukorossi, commonly known as Indian soapberry, washnut, ritha or Chinese soapberry, is a species of tree in the family Sapindaceae. It is a deciduous tree that grows in the lower foothills and midhills of the Himalayas at altitudes of up to 1,200 metres (4,000 ft). It is also native to western coastal Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Goa in India; as well as Nepal Indochina, southern China, Japan and Taiwan as known by its many indigenous peoples. It is tolerant to reasonably poor soil, can be planted around farmers' homes, and one tree can produce 30 to 35 kilograms (66 to 77 lb) of fruit per year.
It is known by several regional names across India, including ritha, ringin, and pitha in Marathi; ritha in Hindi; aritha in Gujarati; antavala and kugatemar in Kannada; and arishta and phenila in Sanskrit.
Native to South India, the tree naturally grows in sparse forest regions along coastlines and lower mountain slopes. It is cultivated in rural areas of West Bengal, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.
Sapindus chrysotrichus · Sapindus drummondii · Wingleaf Soapberry · Oʻahu soapberry · Sapindus rarak · Wingleaf soapberry · Threeleaf soapberry · Soapberry
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Sapindus mukorossi by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
