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There is one soapberry (Sapindus drummondii) in the arboretum collection. You can find it at the northern edge of the arboretum, towards the Hargrove band shell.
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Without the aid of a ladder, all of the soapberry branches are out of reach, and it's necessary to crane one's neck in order to appreciate the leaves. So, passersby primarily see this: gray, flaking, bumpy bark of the trunk.
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If you want to see soapberry flowers, now is the time. They most likely won't call your attention; you will need to go looking for them, as they are up above and hidden among the compound leaves.
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The tiny white flowers are numerous and are clustered together on panicles. This photo was taken with the aid of a ladder. Perhaps you know of a soapberry tree whose flowers can be found near the ground?
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A twig was snipped for further inspection.
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Compound leaves alternate along the twig.
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These leaves all measured under a foot; however, it's easy to imagine a soapberry leaf stretching out a couple more inches.
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At first glance, leaflets appear to be opposite from one another, but looking closer we see that the leaflets irregularly alternate.
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Leaflets are dark green and vary in size. They have an asymmetrical shape, and edges are smooth.
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This particular panicle of soapberry flowers measured nine inches long. No fragrance was noticeable.
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one soapberry was ever collected for the arboretum catalogue, and this
is it. You can read more about it here. It has been successful and easy to maintain, suggesting that we
ought to consider adding another soapberry to the landscape. Since
this particular soapberry was purchased from South Carolina, it would be
beneficial to collect an individual from northwest Louisiana.
