# Grow your own toilet paper. Toilet Paper Trees?



## driscolldb

Years ago while in the Marine Corps, and deployed to Peru, I came across a bush that everyone started calling a "Toilet Paper Tree". It was about chest high and had a lot of leaves. The leaves were about hand-sized, leathery texture that 'grabbed' well, hearty enough to hold up for a good wipe (even if folded in half and used for a second go round). It wasn't shiny, sharp, and didn't have any rough edges. Of course it wasn't anything like poison ivy or oak. We started digging straddle trenches next to these bushes and they were quickly stripped bare. It seems a company of Marines can go through these things like a swarm of locusts. For the life of me I can't find the pictures I took of them.

In my search I've come across this list and added a few things to it. If I can get a hold of some of these plants I'm going to throw some in at my property. It won't last year round, but I think it will be a welcome addition in the summer months, and will cut back on digging into the stocked up supplies.

It seems a renewable supply of toilet paper. I guess if you had space to plant a lot of them or just a few people, these would last for quite awhile. Maybe right next to the out house.

If you had plenty, you could harvest them and rehydrate them with melted snow in the winter?

I found this list some time ago. Here are a few others that could (and have been) used for other hygiene alternatives.

Any thoughts?

Hygiene Plants:

~~~Toilet-Paper Plants~~~
Brachyglottis repanda - Bushmans Friend. Toilet Paper Tree.
Davidia involucrata ~ "Handkerchief Tree"
Mullein - Toilet paper - Does not grow year round.
Stachys byzantina - Lamb Ears - Toilet Paper
Montanoa bipinnatifida
Tithonia diversifolia
Davidia involucrata ~ "Handkerchief Tree" or "Dove Tree"

I know Salvadora persica are used as toothbrushes in Africa, India and the Middle East.
Miswak - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

~~~Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Mouth Cleanser, etc. Ethnobotanicals~~~
*Acmella (syn. Spilanthes) oleracea ~ "Toothache Plant" or "Paracress"
*Gouania lupuloides ~ "Chew-Stick"
*Salvadora persica ~ "Miswak"
*Azadirachta indica ~ "Neem"

~~~Soap, Bath, Cleaner, etc. Ethnobotanicals~~~
*Acacia holosericea ~ "Soapbush Wattle"
*Alphitonia excelsa ~ "Red Ash" or "Soap-Tree"
*Atriplex species ~ "Saltbush" or "Orache"
*Guaiacum species ~ "Guajacum"
*Hesperoyucca whipplei ~ "Quixote Yucca" or "Chaparral Yucca"
*Luffa acutangula & Luffa aegyptiaca ~ "Luffa" or "Loofah/Lufah Sponge "
*Melaleuca alternifolia ~ "Ti-Tee" or "Tea Tree"
*Passiflora foetida ~"Wild Water Lemon" or "Love-in-a-Mist"
*Quillaja saponaria ~ "Quillaia" or "Soap-Bark"
*Sapindus species ~ "Soap-Nut" or "Soap-Berry"
*Saponaria officinalis ~ "Soapwort"
*Silene dioica (syn. Melandrium rubrum) ~ "Red Campion"
*Yucca schidigera ~ "Mojave Yucca" or "Spanish Dagger"

~~~ Insect Repellents~~~
Myrica gale ~ "Sweet Gale"; "Bayberry" or "Wax-Myrtle"
Callicarpa americana ~ "American Beautyberry"
Cymbopogon nardus & Cymbopogon winterianus ~ "Citronella Grass"

David


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## Meerkat

Thanks for the info .But I don't think I have time to grow one right now.


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## *Andi

Interesting ... :thankyou:

(more research for me!!! lol)

Just remember that "Soapwort" and livestock don't mix and the "Yucca" or "Spanish Dagger" are called that for a reason.  (I hate those things ~ OUCH ) 

On the other hand, I love my luffa sponge and they are rather easy to grow.


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## CulexPipiens

*Andi said:


> ...On the other hand, I love my luffa sponge and they are rather easy to grow.


Yep... I managed to grow a few in northern Illinois this year. First time trying and I just seeded straight into the ground at the end of May. With a month's head start doing seedlings inside I'm sure I could have gotten the dozen or so little ones to also grow up with the couple that did make it before the first frost.


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## gypsysue

We've used Mullein on camping trips. If you dry it right you can use it after it's dried too, which would cover winter-time needs. It grows across most of the country.

That black mossy stuff that hangs on trees can be used too, but be sure you get a good handful of it. I've heard the Indians (or whatever politically-correct term they're called these days) used it as "diapers" inside a baby's clothes, and women used it when they needed it.


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## stand

*Has anyone looked into what the Indians used?*

Several types of plant roots suffice for making a sort of liquid soap, so why not just "get close" with whatever leaves or grass are available, and then really clean up, with "soap" and water?


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## Jezcruzen

Wow! Maybe it would be a good idea to remove all those cherry trees in Washington and plant "toilet paper trees" in their place. We all know Washington is full of ****!


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## IrritatedWithUS

*Andi said:


> Interesting ... :thankyou:
> 
> (more research for me!!! lol)
> 
> Just remember that "Soapwort" and livestock don't mix and the "Yucca" or "Spanish Dagger" are called that for a reason.  (I hate those things ~ OUCH )
> 
> On the other hand, I love my luffa sponge and they are rather easy to grow.


Just don't plant your luffa near cucumbers, pumpkins, other gourds or squash. They will crossbreed.


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## zeebull

I once used some nice soft moss for a wiper of the nether regions and got a wicked rash. Closer look told me there was tiny little red mushrooms growing in the moss. Itchy wow! Last time for spagnem moss!


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## JustUs

Don't forget soft cloth. Ladies can use that for #1 easy to wash and dry, too. We use them now as pee rags....have some in dark fabric made but not in use for "other "needs if the time comes. No worse then washing cloth diapers. The pee pads we just toss in with the regular laundry. We'll do special loads if we ever become an "all cloth" family. 

If we ever get any land (living in town now) I'll be sure to plant of few of those plants. Thanks for the list!!


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