Alphitonia excelsa, Soap Tree, is one of many Australian healing plants. I learned about it during my PhD research when I was creating art with medicinal plants of Minjerribah / North Stradbroke Island in Queensland, in consultations with members of the Quandamooka community.

I created this biochrome image with the plant's leaves using my biochrome process of image making, which fuses both organic and photographic materials over several weeks.

Soap tree grows along the South-East Queensland shores, and other places in Australia. Soap tree’s leaves are dark green, but almost white underneath.

This plant has antiseptic and antibacterial properties, and can be used on insect stings, sores, as skin disinfectant and cleanse, dishwashing and more … by rubbing some leaves with water to form milky paste or foamy substance.

More info about its uses is available from sources on bush tucker and medicinal plants publications, such as:

Bush Medicine Identikit!: Common Medicinal Plants of Australia’s Top End, by Glenn Whitman and Lynette Mills. 1991

This artwork is one of many I created during my PhD studio research. My Medicinal Plant Cycles series draws on natural science and extensive consultations and discussions with members of the Quandamooka community of Minjerribah / North Stradbroke Island in Queensland. The focus on Minjerribah medicinal plants aims to promote the recognition, appreciation, and value of local medicinal plants in the context of Aboriginal knowledge and natural science.