Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Southeastern United States, Caribbean, Central America
Caribbean, Central America, South America, Brazil
Types
tourist tree, turpentine tree, chaca
-
Number of Varieties
1-
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverbanks, Sandy stream banks, Tropical rainforest
Subtropical climates, subtropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1510-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 13, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2
Habit
Twisted/Contorted
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
460.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
760.00 cm550.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Ivory
Ivory, Gray
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Crimson, Copper
Magenta, Violet
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
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Compound
Cuneate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Summer, Indeterminate
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Late Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Wet Site, Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Transplanting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
occasional watering once established
Does not require 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
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
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
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies, Deers, Hummingbirds
-
Allergy
allergic reaction, Eye irritation, Mouth itching, Vomiting
Asthma
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
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Aging, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Headache
-
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Leaves
Wood
Other Uses
Application in Furniture, Can be made into a herbal tea, Cosmetics
Used for woodware, Wood is used for making furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
BURSERA simaruba
TRIPLARIS americana
Common Name
Gumbo Limbo, Tourist Tree, Turpentine Tree
Ant Stick, Macaw, St. Mary's Stick
In Hindi
Bursera simaruba
Macaw
In German
Bursera simaruba
Ara
In French
Bursera simaruba
ara
In Spanish
Bursera simaruba
guacamayo
In Greek
Bursera simaruba
μακώ
In Portuguese
Bursera simaruba
arara
In Polish
Bursera simaruba
ara
In Latin
Bursera simaruba
Ara
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Angiosperms
Tracheophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Caryophyllales
Family
Burseraceae
Polygonaceae
Genus
Bursera
Triplaris
Clade
Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
10-
1
27800
👆🏻