Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Origin
Southeastern United States, Caribbean, Central America
Central America, Mexico
Types
tourist tree, turpentine tree, chaca
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
Habitat
Riverbanks, Sandy stream banks, Tropical rainforest
Floodplains, Wet forest
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15
7-8
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 13, 22, 23, 24
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
Vining/Climbing
Flower Color
Ivory
Yellow, Gold
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Crimson, Copper
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Leaf Shape
Compound
Heart-shaped
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Indeterminate
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Indeterminate
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Transplanting
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
occasional watering once established
Keep ground moist, Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
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
Prune after flowering, Remove shoots
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Compost, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Cold climate
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fragrant Bark/Stem
Yes
No
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies, Deers, Hummingbirds
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
Allergy
allergic reaction, Eye irritation, Mouth itching, Vomiting
Throat itching, Vomiting
Aesthetic Uses
Bonsai
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Improve skin condition, Making cosmetics, Removes pimples
-
Edible Uses
Sometimes
Yes
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Forms dense stands, Nesting sites for birds, soil stabilisation
Food for animals, Food for birds
Medicinal Uses
Aging, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Headache
Antioxidants, Combats Stress, Fiber, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Inflammation, Rich in Iron
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Leaves
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Application in Furniture, Can be made into a herbal tea, Cosmetics
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
No
Yes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
BURSERA simaruba
MELOTHRIA scabra
Common Name
Gumbo Limbo, Tourist Tree, Turpentine Tree
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
In Hindi
Bursera simaruba
Mousemelon
In German
Bursera simaruba
Maus Melone
In French
Bursera simaruba
Mousemelon
In Spanish
Bursera simaruba
Mousemelon
In Greek
Bursera simaruba
πεπόνι ποντίκι
In Portuguese
Bursera simaruba
melão rato
In Polish
Bursera simaruba
mysz melona
In Latin
Bursera simaruba
mouse melon
Phylum
Angiosperms
Tracheophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Cucurbitales
Family
Burseraceae
Cucurbitaceae
Clade
Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Importance of Gumbo Limbo and Mouse Melon
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Gumbo Limbo and Mouse Melon. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Gumbo Limbo and Mouse Melon 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 Mouse Melon is Antioxidants, Combats Stress, Fiber, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Inflammation and Rich in Iron. Gumbo Limbo has beauty benefits as follows: Improve skin condition, Making cosmetics and Removes pimples while Mouse Melon has beauty benefits as follows: Improve skin condition, Making cosmetics and Removes pimples.
Compare Facts of Gumbo Limbo vs Mouse Melon
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 Mouse Melon 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 Mouse Melon have Throat itching and Vomiting respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Gumbo Limbo has showy fruits and Mouse Melon has showy fruits. Also Gumbo Limbo is not flowering and Mouse Melon is not flowering . You can compare Gumbo Limbo and Mouse Melon facts and facts of other plants too.