Scientific Name: Alphitonia excelsa

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  • Pronunciation:
    al-fah-TONE-ee-ah ex-SELL-sah
  • Common Name:
    Red Ash, Soap Tree
  • Derivation:
    Alphitonia: Gr. alphiton - baked barley meal (refers to red mealy matter around the seeds) |excelsa: L. exelsa - tall
  • Type:
    Tree
  • Family:
    RHAMNACEAE
  • Flowers:
    Summer white
  • Fruit:
    Drupe
  • Vegetation Type:
    Dry rainforest margin of sub-tropical rainforest and in open forest
  • Species List:
    EdingtonDr, Weyba Esp, SBHS, Plants for Coastal Gardens, Community Gardens, Kennilworth Fig Tree Walk, W2, Craft, Bush medicine, Emu Mt., NLTalks2010, Cooroibah Airstrip, Weyba Nature Refuge, Eumarella Rd., Peregian Boardwalk, Pomona School Oval, Wooroi Day Use Area Tracks, NNP Parkedge/Alex, Cooroy Primary School, NNP service road, Cooroibah26.4.09, Wooroi Palm Grove, Cooloothin Corner, Banana, Old Tewantin, Upper Mt. Tinbeerwah, Fraser Island, Mill Point, Johns, Cooroibah Conservation Park, Cooroibah Bushland Reserve, Janet, Cranks Creek, NNP Viewland/Brunjes, Boreen Point, Lake Cooroibah West, TAFE, Noosa Banks, Kin Kin Scrub, Dandaloo, Noosa River NP, NNS Fern Track, BHNR, Girraween, Kin Kin Arboretum, Stratford Park,, NNS, Upper Yandina Creek, NC, Heritage Park
Cultural Notes

TAKE CARE! Some information about bush foods and medicines may be anecdotal. Correct identification and preparation is essential:

Crushed leaves and berries used to stun fish.

Bush medicine: Leaves crushed in warm water to make bath for headache patient. Infusion of bark and root used as liniament. or gargle for toothache. Leaves applied to sore eyes. Decoction of bark and wood taken as tonic. Young shoot chewed to relieve upset stomach; bathe with crushed leaves in water for headache. Timber: Durable timber for cabinet and indoor work also fencing and house stumps. The crushed leaves can be lathered to produce a bush soap, as they contain saponin.

Cleanses and disinfects skin. (Darren Mansfield)

Useful drought fodder for stock.

Source of fibre.

New shoots smell of sarsaparilla when crushed.

Identification Notes

Older bark greyish ||Branchlets downy. ||Leaves dark green above, white and downy below , Hairs brownish. ||

Associated Fauna

Bird Attracting: Butterfly larval food plant : Fiery Jewel, Copper Jewel, Indigo Flash and Small Green-banded Blue, pictured.

Landscaping Notes

Noosa Council Preferred Species list . Landscaping potential in suitable areas. Pioneer plant. Successfully propogated by Noosa & District Landcare. Fast growing shade tree for average soils. ||Pioneer species.||Seeds difficult to germinate, but cuttings easy.||Successfully propagated by Tin Can Bay City Farm Nursery|Successfully propagated by Mooloolah Native Nursery||Successfully propagated by Barung Landcare||