Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Southeastern United States, Caribbean, Central America
India, Nepal, China
Types
tourist tree, turpentine tree, chaca
Betula utilis
Number of Varieties
12
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverbanks, Sandy stream banks, Tropical rainforest
Mountains
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-155-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
7-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 13, 22, 23, 24
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Twisted/Contorted
Pyramidal
Plant Size
Minimum Height
460.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
760.00 cm760.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Ivory
Tan, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Crimson, Copper
-
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Yellow green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Yellow
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Compound
Cordiform
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
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
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Transplanting
Grafting, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
occasional watering once established
Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Average Water
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Fertilize in early spring, Fertilize in late fall, slow-release fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Honey fungus, Leaves with brown tip, Phytophthora Root Rot, Powdery mildew, Verticillium Wilt
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Dry Conditions, waterlogging, Wet Site
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies, Deers, Hummingbirds
-
Allergy
allergic reaction, Eye irritation, Mouth itching, Vomiting
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Bonsai
-
Beauty Benefits
Improve skin condition, Making cosmetics, Removes pimples
Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Forms dense stands, Nesting sites for birds, soil stabilisation
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Aging, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Headache
anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Antioxidants, Antiseptic, Carminative
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Leaves
Bark, Leaves
Other Uses
Application in Furniture, Can be made into a herbal tea, Cosmetics
Used in construction, Wood is used in construction
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
BURSERA simaruba
BETULA utilis
Common Name
Gumbo Limbo, Tourist Tree, Turpentine Tree
Himalayan Birch
In Hindi
Bursera simaruba
हिमालय सन्टी
In German
Bursera simaruba
Himalaya-Birke
In French
Bursera simaruba
bouleau de l'Himalaya
In Spanish
Bursera simaruba
abedul del Himalaya
In Greek
Bursera simaruba
Himalayan σημύδας
In Portuguese
Bursera simaruba
bétula Himalaia
In Polish
Bursera simaruba
Himalayan brzoza
In Latin
Bursera simaruba
Birch Himalayan
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Angiosperms
Tracheophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Fagales
Family
Burseraceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Bursera
Betula
Clade
Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
1030
1
27800
👆🏻