Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Grass
Origin
Southeastern United States, Caribbean, Central America
North America, United States, Southwestern United States, Texas, Mexico
Types
tourist tree, turpentine tree, chaca
Foxtail muhly, Devils Canyon muhly, alkali muhly
Number of Varieties
12
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverbanks, Sandy stream banks, Tropical rainforest
High elevation, Hillside, Slopes
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-157-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12 - 7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 13, 22, 23, 24
-
Habit
Twisted/Contorted
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
460.00 cm45.72 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
760.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Ivory
Pink, Purple, White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Crimson, Copper
Brown, White
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Light Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Blue Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Blue Green, Gray Green, Tan
Shape
Leaf Shape
Compound
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Indeterminate
Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Transplanting
Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
occasional watering once established
Needs less watering, Water every 3 weeks until the root ball is wet
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Grass Cuttting and pruning up to 5cm, Prune in early spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, EDTA iron
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies, Deers, Hummingbirds
Bees, Butterflies
Allergy
allergic reaction, Eye irritation, Mouth itching, Vomiting
Pollen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Bonsai
Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
Improve skin condition, Making cosmetics, Removes pimples
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Forms dense stands, Nesting sites for birds, soil stabilisation
Air purification, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Aging, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Headache
-
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Leaves
-
Other Uses
Application in Furniture, Can be made into a herbal tea, Cosmetics
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Foundation, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
BURSERA simaruba
MUHLENBERGIA emersleyi
Common Name
Gumbo Limbo, Tourist Tree, Turpentine Tree
Bull Grass
In Hindi
Bursera simaruba
Bull Grass
In German
Bursera simaruba
Bull Grass
In French
Bursera simaruba
Bull Herbe
In Spanish
Bursera simaruba
Bull Hierba
In Greek
Bursera simaruba
Δελτίο Grass
In Portuguese
Bursera simaruba
touro grama
In Polish
Bursera simaruba
Bull Trawa
In Latin
Bursera simaruba
Bull Grass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Angiosperms
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Liliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Cyperales
Family
Burseraceae
Poaceae
Genus
Bursera
Muhlenbergia
Clade
Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Eragrostideae
Subfamily
-
Chloridoideae
Number of Species
10180
1
27800
👆🏻