Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Broadleaf Evergreen
Origin
Southeastern United States, Caribbean, Central America
Europe, Russia
Types
tourist tree, turpentine tree, chaca
Symphytum officinale (common comfrey), Symphytum asperum (rough comfrey)
Habitat
Riverbanks, Sandy stream banks, Tropical rainforest
Cold Regions, stream banks
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15
6-11
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 13, 22, 23, 24
21,22
Habit
Twisted/Contorted
Upright/Erect
Flower Color
Ivory
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Crimson, Copper
Orange Red
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Red, Green, Copper
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Red, Dark Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Transplanting
Root Division, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Requirements
occasional watering once established
Allow to dry out slightly between watering, Water daily during growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
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
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
14-14-14 Fertilizer, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, can go long without fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Stem spot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Shallow soil, Sun
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fragrant Bark/Stem
Yes
No
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies, Deers, Hummingbirds
Ants, Butterflies, pollinators
Allergy
allergic reaction, Eye irritation, Mouth itching, Vomiting
Antibacterial, Peripheral Edema
Aesthetic Uses
Bonsai
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Improve skin condition, Making cosmetics, Removes pimples
Acne, Beautiful Skin, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Forms dense stands, Nesting sites for birds, soil stabilisation
Air purification, Fixes Nitrogen
Medicinal Uses
Aging, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Headache
Asthma, Diarrhea, Obesity, Osteoarthritis
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Leaves
Leaves, Twigs
Other Uses
Application in Furniture, Can be made into a herbal tea, Cosmetics
Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
BURSERA simaruba
Symphytum asperum
Common Name
Gumbo Limbo, Tourist Tree, Turpentine Tree
Comfrey,Black Root, Blackwort, Bruisewort
In Hindi
Bursera simaruba
Blackwort
In German
Bursera simaruba
Blackwort
In French
Bursera simaruba
Blackwort
In Spanish
Bursera simaruba
Blackwort
In Greek
Bursera simaruba
Blackwort
In Portuguese
Bursera simaruba
Blackwort
In Polish
Bursera simaruba
Blackwort
In Latin
Bursera simaruba
Blackwort
Phylum
Angiosperms
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Lamiales
Family
Burseraceae
Boraginaceae
Clade
Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Subfamily
-
Boraginoideae
Importance of Gumbo Limbo and Comfrey
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Gumbo Limbo and Comfrey. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Gumbo Limbo and Comfrey as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Gumbo Limbo is Aging, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and Headache whereas of Comfrey is Asthma, Diarrhea, Obesity and Osteoarthritis. Gumbo Limbo has beauty benefits as follows: Improve skin condition, Making cosmetics and Removes pimples while Comfrey has beauty benefits as follows: Improve skin condition, Making cosmetics and Removes pimples.
Compare Facts of Gumbo Limbo vs Comfrey
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Gumbo Limbo vs Comfrey and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Gumbo Limbo are allergic reaction, Eye irritation, Mouth itching and Vomiting whereas of Comfrey have Antibacterial and Peripheral Edema respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Gumbo Limbo has showy fruits and Comfrey has showy fruits. Also Gumbo Limbo is not flowering and Comfrey is not flowering . You can compare Gumbo Limbo and Comfrey facts and facts of other plants too.