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Senegalia rugata
Also called Soap Pod Tree
Soap Pod (Senegalia rugata) is a spiny climbing shrub or small tree from tropical Asia, valued since ancient times for its pods, which are used as a natural shampoo. It is invasive in several regions, so check local rules before planting.
Senegalia rugata is a spiny climbing shrub native to China and tropical Asia, common in the warm plains of central and south India.
It is renowned as a raw material for shampoo, and the leaves and young shoots are often eaten. Archaeobotanical evidence shows its use for hair care in the pre-Harrapan levels of Banawali, some 4500–4300 years ago.
The species is native to Asia, including China. Countries and regions to which it is native include: Papua New Guinea (Eastern New Guinea); Indonesia (West Papua, Kai Islands, Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, Jawa, Sumatera); Philippines; Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia); Thailand; Cambodia; Vietnam; Zhōngguó/China (Guangdong, Yunnan); Laos; Myanmar; India (Andaman Islands, Assam), Bangladesh, Nepal, East Himalaya. It has been introduced/naturalized to the following countries/regions: Nouvelle Caledonie; Australia (Queensland); Japan (Okinawa); Réunion; Madagascar; Seychelles; Brazil (southeast); Jamaica
Senegalia pennata · Berlandier Acacia · Black cutch · Catclaw Acacia · Senegalia laeta · Senegalia megaladena · Black Thorn · Falcon's Claw Acacia · White Thorn · Gum Arabic
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Senegalia rugata by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
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.
