Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Herbs
Origin
Southeastern United States, Caribbean, Central America
-
Types
tourist tree, turpentine tree, chaca
Ocimum americanum
Number of Varieties
120
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverbanks, Sandy stream banks, Tropical rainforest
-
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 13, 22, 23, 24
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Twisted/Contorted
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
460.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
760.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Ivory
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Crimson, Copper
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Compound
Oval
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
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Transplanting
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
occasional watering once established
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Downy mildew, Dry root rot, Fusarium wilt, Gray mold, Japanese Beetles
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies, Deers, Hummingbirds
Aphids, Beetles, Leaf Hoppers, Nematodes
Allergy
allergic reaction, Eye irritation, Mouth itching, Vomiting
Hives, Itchiness, Rash, Swelling
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Bonsai
Borders, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
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
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Aging, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Headache
Low calories, Manganese, Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin K
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Leaves
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
Application in Furniture, Can be made into a herbal tea, Cosmetics
Added to salads, Powdered and mixed with tea, Used in tea, wine and sweet dishes, Used to flavour soups
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
BURSERA simaruba
OCIMUM x citriodorum
Common Name
Gumbo Limbo, Tourist Tree, Turpentine Tree
Lemon Basil
In Hindi
Bursera simaruba
नींबू तुलसी
In German
Bursera simaruba
Limonenbasilikum
In French
Bursera simaruba
citron basilic
In Spanish
Bursera simaruba
Ocimum × citriodorum
In Greek
Bursera simaruba
λεμόνι βασιλικός
In Portuguese
Bursera simaruba
manjericão limão
In Polish
Bursera simaruba
Bazylia cytrynowa
In Latin
Bursera simaruba
lemon Basilius
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Angiosperms
Tracheophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Lamiales
Family
Burseraceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Bursera
Ocimum
Clade
Eudicots
Asterids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
10169
1
27800
👆🏻