Soapwood

[jscola]

How hard is Soapwood to turn, and where can I get some? Joe

 

[jssmith3]

Hey Joe, I sent out a request for some of this a while back. Its not easy to get ahold of and it comes from Australia. If you locate a sourse would you let me know?
Thanks,
Janet

 

[DCBluesman]

As far as I know, soapwood (Clethra occidentalis) grows exclusively in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. If memory serves me right it's a small scrub tree and not harvested. Of course, soapwood is also a name the southwest native Americans gave one of the varieties of Yucca, but I don't remember which one. Of course, as with many common names (like ironwood), there could be any number of trees aroud the world with the common name soapwood.

 

[jthompson1995]

Based on Lou's listing of the botanical name, you might be able to find a relative of soapwood that is a native shrub here in the nmid-atlantic, summersweet (Clethra alnifolia). I've never had any to work with, but I would fathaom a guess that the properties of the wood would be similar. But you never know. It usually grows in wet areas to 6-8 feet tall. I don't know if you'd find any useable woood from it and I doubt you'd find it for sale commercially.

Jason