The trunk of the soapberry tree is covered with branch thorns. The thorns here are stout and branched, indicating that they are formed by the metamorphosis of branches, called branch thorns. The thorns on the soapberry tree are used in medicine and are called "soapberry thorns".
Saponaria (Gleditsia sinensis Lam.) is a genus of legumes. It is also known as soap horn, table tree, pancreatic soap, tooth soap, hanging knife and so on.
Morphological characteristics of deciduous trees, up to 30 meters high, crown flattened globular shape, bark dark gray or gray-black, rough not cracked. The bark is dark gray or gray-black, rough and non-cracking. The trunk and branches are covered with stout, well-branched rounded spines. Branchlets glabrous, winter buds conical, often 2 to 3 overlapping. Leaves pinnately compound, leaflets 3-7 pairs, ovate, obovate, oblong-ovate or ovate-lanceolate, apex obtuse, mucronate, serrations fine and obtuse, midvein hairy, leaf rachis and petiolules hairy. Racemes, flowers greenish white. Pods flattened, strap-shaped straight, black-brown glaucous. Flowering in May, fruit ripening in October.
Graphic distribution is wide, and it is planted in all areas south of the Yellow River Basin. There is a natural distribution in this region, mostly used for rural greening.
Ecological habits light-loving, slightly shade-tolerant, cold-tolerant, preferring warm and humid climate and deep, fertile, properly moist soil, the soil requirements are not strict, in slightly acidic soil, calcareous soil, light saline soil, and even clay or sandy soil can grow normally. Drought-resistant, deep-rooted species, slow growth, long life, up to six or seven hundred years.
Pests and diseases are mainly mealybugs, soapberry bean weevil, soapberry heartworm and other pests.
Seedling cultivation with seed propagation, some areas with grafting propagation. Seeds weigh about 450 grams, 1 kg of seeds about 2200, before sowing need to be treated with water or wet sand storage germination. Bare root transplantation in the fall after the fall of the leaves to the spring buds before sprouting. The main root of the soap pod is thick, deep and long, to dig deep holes deep planting.
Greening use of the trunk straight; broad crown, shade thick; branches fine and soft drooping, dashing and colorful, suitable for use as a shade tree, street trees, but also more excellent four side of the greening and afforestation species.