Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tree
Origin
Southern Africa
Southeastern United States, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Perennial
tourist tree, turpentine tree, chaca
Number of Varieties
501
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
Riverbanks, Sandy stream banks, Tropical rainforest
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1010-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-8
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 13, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Twisted/Contorted
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.30 cm460.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm760.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Brown
Crimson, Copper
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Compound
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Summer, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
occasional watering once established
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Scale
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Birds, Butterflies, Deers, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Skin irritation
allergic reaction, Eye irritation, Mouth itching, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Bonsai
Beauty Benefits
-
Improve skin condition, Making cosmetics, Removes pimples
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Ethnobotanic
Air purification, Forms dense stands, Nesting sites for birds, soil stabilisation
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Aging, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Headache
Part of Plant Used
Root
Bark, Leaves
Other Uses
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Application in Furniture, Can be made into a herbal tea, Cosmetics
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
DIETES bicolor
BURSERA simaruba
Common Name
African iris, Fortnight lily
Gumbo Limbo, Tourist Tree, Turpentine Tree
In Hindi
African Iris
Bursera simaruba
In German
Afrikanische Iris
Bursera simaruba
In French
African Iris
Bursera simaruba
In Spanish
Iris africano
Bursera simaruba
In Greek
Αφρικανική Iris
Bursera simaruba
In Portuguese
Iris africano
Bursera simaruba
In Polish
Afryki Iris
Bursera simaruba
In Latin
African Iris
Bursera simaruba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Angiosperms
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Asparagales
Sapindales
Family
Iridaceae
Burseraceae
Genus
Dietes
Bursera
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Eudicots
Tribe
Irideae
-
Subfamily
Iridoideae
-
Number of Species
30010
1
27800
👆🏻