Plant Profile

Bursera simaruba (Turpentine tree, Gumbo-limbo)

Native to South Florida, the Gumbo-limbo tree is a large semi evergreen tree that can reach up to 20m in height but in landscape plantings it often reaches 8-12m. The bark is of a coppery color which gives an attractive and shiny appearance. The wood of the trees was once used for making carousel horses before they moved on to the plastic kind. The fruit needs a year to ripen and matures in the summer.

Landscape Information
Botanical Description
Horticulture Management

By Louise Wolff (darina) (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC BY-SA 2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
By Bob Peterson from North Palm Beach, Florida, Planet Earth! (Gumbo limbo - Bursera simaruba) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
By Dick Culbert from Gibsons, B.C., Canada (Bursera simaruba) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
By Pancrat (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
By Pancrat (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
By Pancrat (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

By Louise Wolff (darina) (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC BY-SA 2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

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French Name: Bois d'encens

Pronunciation: ber-SER-uh sim-uh-ROO-buh
Plant type: Tree
Origin: North America
Heat Zones: 10 to 15

Hardiness Zones: 10 to 13
Uses: Specimen, Shade, Medicinal, Wildlife, Street, Pollution Tolerant / Urban
Size/Shape

Growth Rate: Moderate

Tree Shape: Round

Canopy Symmetry: Irregular

Canopy Density: Open

Canopy Texture: Medium

Height at Maturity: 8 to 15 m, 15 to 23 m, Over 23

Spread at Maturity: 8 to 10 meters, 10 to 15 meters

Time to Ultimate Height: More than 50 Years

By Louise Wolff (darina) (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC BY-SA 2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
By Bob Peterson from North Palm Beach, Florida, Planet Earth! (Gumbo limbo - Bursera simaruba) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
By Dick Culbert from Gibsons, B.C., Canada (Bursera simaruba) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
By Pancrat (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
By Pancrat (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
By Pancrat (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

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Foliage

Leaf Arrangement : Alternate

Leaf Venation: Pinnate

Leaf Persistance: Semi Evergreen

Leaf Type: Odd Pinnately compund

Leaf Blade: 5 - 10 cm

Leaf Shape: Ovate

Leaf Margins: Entire

Leaf Texture: Medium

Leaf Scent: Pleasant

Color(growing season): Green

Color(changing season): Green
Flower

Flower Showiness: Yes

Flower Size Range: 3 - 7

Flower Type: Panicle

Flower Sexuality: Monoecious (Bisexual)

Flower Scent: No Fragance

Flower Color: Green, Yellow

Seasons: Spring
Trunk

Trunk Susceptibility to Breakage: Suspected to breakage

Number of Trunks: Multi-Trunked, Can be trained to one trunk

Trunk esthetic Values: Showy, Fissured, Colored
Fruit

Fruit Type: Fleshy

Fruit Showiness: Yes

Fruit Size Range: 0 - 1.5, 1.5 - 3

Fruit Color: Red

Seasons: Spring

By Louise Wolff (darina) (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC BY-SA 2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
By Bob Peterson from North Palm Beach, Florida, Planet Earth! (Gumbo limbo - Bursera simaruba) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
By Dick Culbert from Gibsons, B.C., Canada (Bursera simaruba) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
By Pancrat (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
By Pancrat (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
By Pancrat (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

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Tolerance

Frost Tolerant: No

Heat Tolerance: Yes

Drought Tolerance: Yes

Salt Tolerance: Good
Requirements

Soil Requirements: Clay, Loam, Sand

Soil Ph Requirements: Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline

Water Requirements: Moderate, Low

Light Requirements: Full, Part, Shade
Management

Invasive Potential: No

Susceptibility to Pests and Diseases: No

Pruning Requirements: Little needed, to develop a strong structure

Fruit/ Leaves/ Flowers litter: No

Surface Rooting: Yes

Life Span: More than 50

Edible Parts: None

Pests: Scales, Whitefly

Plant Propagation: Seed, Cutting