Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern United States, Caribbean, Central America
Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Southwestern United States, Texas, Canada, Mexico
Types
tourist tree, turpentine tree, chaca
Ratibida columnifera
Number of Varieties
125
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverbanks, Sandy stream banks, Tropical rainforest
Dry areas, Prairies, Rocky areas, rocky outcrops
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-153-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
10-1
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
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
460.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
760.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Ivory
Yellow, Purple, Burgundy, Light Green, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Crimson, Copper
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Light Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Light Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Light Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Compound
Subulate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full 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
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Transplanting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
occasional watering once established
Average Water Needs, Water in morning to avoid prompting diseases
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
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch Tips, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Full Sun
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies, Deers, Hummingbirds
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
allergic reaction, Eye irritation, Mouth itching, Vomiting
Rhinitis
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Bonsai
Borders
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
Analgesic
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Leaves
Flowers
Other Uses
Application in Furniture, Can be made into a herbal tea, Cosmetics
Can be made into a herbal tea, Used in making tea
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Botanical Name
BURSERA simaruba
RATIBIDA columnifera
Common Name
Gumbo Limbo, Tourist Tree, Turpentine Tree
Mexican Hat
In Hindi
Bursera simaruba
Mexican Hat
In German
Bursera simaruba
Mexican Hat
In French
Bursera simaruba
Mexican Hat
In Spanish
Bursera simaruba
mexican Hat
In Greek
Bursera simaruba
Mexican Hat
In Portuguese
Bursera simaruba
Mexican Hat
In Polish
Bursera simaruba
Mexican Hat
In Latin
Bursera simaruba
Mexicanus Hat
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Angiosperms
Tracheophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Asterales
Family
Burseraceae
Asteraceae
Genus
Bursera
Ratibida
Clade
Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
1014
1
27800
👆🏻