| General Description | Sapindus drummondii is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree, with a broad-oval to rounded crown making it an ideal shade or ornamental tree. With its glossy green leaves throughout the summer changing to a deep yellow-gold in fall, this tree is a wonderful pick for landscaping. |
| Shape | Single stemmed and low branched tree, with a rounded crown making it an excellent small shade or ornamental tree. |
| Landscape | The Sapindus drummondii is an excellent choice for dry soil areas. Normally used in; urban areas, parking lots, and median strips on roads. Can be planted along sidewalks as fruit doesn’t rot when falling, and won’t make a mess. Although can cause concern, as the fruit itself is poisonous if consumed. |
| Propagation | When propagating the Sapindus drummondii, the seeds should be scarification in sulfuric acid for two hours, then followed by 90 days at 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The seeds should then be placed in a moist peat poly bags, at 41 degrees Fahrenheit, for about 54 days so the radicles can emerge in cold stratification. After all that is done, they can finally be planted. |
| Cultivation | Easily transplanted, grown in dry to medium well-drained soils in full sun. Also, tolerant to grow in clay, loam, sand, acidic (high pH), and alkaline soils. |
| Pests | No notable pests or diseases. |
| Habitat | It is typically grown on slopes by streams, limestone bluffs, and from the upper deserts to woodland zones in Mexico. |
| Bark/Stem Description | Reddish brown, to grey-brown in colour with a shallow furrowed bark covering the strong, broad trunk. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description | the buds of the Western Soapberry have a grey globose shape and pubescent texture. The buds are about 0.32 cm in height and 0.32 cm in width, with two visible bud scales. |
| Leaf Description | Compound and even pinnate, alternative arrangement with 8 to 10 leaflets and about 25 to 38 cm in length. The leaves are short-stalked with acuminate tips and obliquely lanceolate in shape, 4 to 9 cm in length and 1.5 to 2.5 cm in width. The leaves are entire with a glossy medium green throughout the summer, and an excellent fall colour of a deep yellow-gold. |
| Flower Description | Yellowish-white colour, 15 to 25 cm in length with; terminal, pyramidal panicles throughout May to June. |
| Fruit Description | Yellow-orange translucent, sub-globose with diameter of 1 cm drupe fruit, that normally ripens in October. It will remain on the tree throughout the winter, turning fruit to a black colour. The fruit is also poisonous if consumed. |
| Colour Description | Glossy medium green leaves in the summer, with an excellent fall colour of a deep yellow-gold. Yellowish orange coloured fruit, with a reddish grey to darker dirty grey colour bark. |
| Texture Description | A medium texture throughout all seasons. |