Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Flowering Plants
Origin
Southeastern United States, Caribbean, Central America
Southwestern United States, California
Types
tourist tree, turpentine tree, chaca
-
Habitat
Riverbanks, Sandy stream banks, Tropical rainforest
Dry areas, meadows
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15
4-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 13, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21
Habit
Twisted/Contorted
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
Ivory
Crimson
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Crimson, Copper
-
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
-
Leaf Shape
Compound
Oblong
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Indeterminate
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Transplanting
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
occasional watering once established
Do Not over Water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 10-10-10 amount
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Insects
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fragrant Bark/Stem
Yes
No
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies, Deers, Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds
Allergy
allergic reaction, Eye irritation, Mouth itching, Vomiting
Asthma
Aesthetic Uses
Bonsai
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Improve skin condition, Making cosmetics, Removes pimples
-
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Forms dense stands, Nesting sites for birds, soil stabilisation
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Aging, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Headache
Burns, Snakebite, Stomach aliments
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Application in Furniture, Can be made into a herbal tea, Cosmetics
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
BURSERA simaruba
PENSTEMON eatonii
Common Name
Gumbo Limbo, Tourist Tree, Turpentine Tree
Firecracker Penstemon
In Hindi
Bursera simaruba
Firecracker penstemon
In German
Bursera simaruba
Kracher penstemon
In French
Bursera simaruba
Firecracker penstemon
In Spanish
Bursera simaruba
Penstemon del petardo
In Greek
Bursera simaruba
πυροτέχνημα penstemon
In Portuguese
Bursera simaruba
Penstemon do foguete
In Polish
Bursera simaruba
petarda penstemon
In Latin
Bursera simaruba
Firecracker Persicaria
Order
Sapindales
Lamiales
Family
Burseraceae
Scrophulariaceae
Clade
Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Importance of Gumbo Limbo and Firecracker Penstemon
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Gumbo Limbo and Firecracker Penstemon. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Gumbo Limbo and Firecracker Penstemon 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 Firecracker Penstemon is Burns, Snakebite and Stomach aliments. Gumbo Limbo has beauty benefits as follows: Improve skin condition, Making cosmetics and Removes pimples while Firecracker Penstemon has beauty benefits as follows: Improve skin condition, Making cosmetics and Removes pimples.
Compare Facts of Gumbo Limbo vs Firecracker Penstemon
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 Firecracker Penstemon 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 Firecracker Penstemon have Asthma respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Gumbo Limbo has showy fruits and Firecracker Penstemon has no showy fruits. Also Gumbo Limbo is not flowering and Firecracker Penstemon is not flowering . You can compare Gumbo Limbo and Firecracker Penstemon facts and facts of other plants too.