Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Fruit
Origin
Southeastern United States, Caribbean, Central America
Southeastern Asia
Types
tourist tree, turpentine tree, chaca
Starfruit
Number of Varieties
12
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverbanks, Sandy stream banks, Tropical rainforest
Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1510-14
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
11-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 13, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Twisted/Contorted
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
460.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
760.00 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Ivory
Pink, Rose, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Crimson, Copper
Yellow, Orange, Light Yellow, Lemon yellow, Yellow green, Gold
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Compound
Oblovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Summer, Indeterminate
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Frost
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Transplanting
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
occasional watering once established
Average Water Needs, Requires watering in the growing season
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
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune in winter, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Fertilize every year
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies, Deers, Hummingbirds
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
allergic reaction, Eye irritation, Mouth itching, Vomiting
Kidney Stone
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Bonsai
-
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, Food for birds, Food for insects, Nesting sites for birds, Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Aging, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Headache
Anti-oxidant, Antioxidants, High blood pressure, Nutrients
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Leaves
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Application in Furniture, Can be made into a herbal tea, Cosmetics
Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Tropical
Botanical Name
BURSERA simaruba
AVERRHOA carambola
Common Name
Gumbo Limbo, Tourist Tree, Turpentine Tree
Carambola, Starfruit
In Hindi
Bursera simaruba
carambola पेड़
In German
Bursera simaruba
Sternfrucht Baum
In French
Bursera simaruba
arbre carambole
In Spanish
Bursera simaruba
árbol de carambola
In Greek
Bursera simaruba
carambola δέντρο
In Portuguese
Bursera simaruba
árvore de carambola
In Polish
Bursera simaruba
karambola drzewo
In Latin
Bursera simaruba
carambola ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Angiosperms
Tracheophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Oxalidales
Family
Burseraceae
Oxalidaceae
Genus
Bursera
Averrhoa
Clade
Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
10180
1
27800
👆🏻