Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern United States, Caribbean, Central America
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States
Types
tourist tree, turpentine tree, chaca
Cherry laurel, California Bay Laurel, Spotted laurel
Number of Varieties
Not Available
Habitat
Riverbanks, Sandy stream banks, Tropical rainforest
Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15
5-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 13, 22, 23, 24
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Twisted/Contorted
Oval or Rounded
Flower Color
Ivory
White, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Crimson, Copper
Orange Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Not Available
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Silver
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Silver
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Yellow green, Tan, Silver
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Green, Yellow green, Tan
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Summer, Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Transplanting
Grafting, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
occasional watering once established
Do Not over Water, occasional watering once established
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, 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
Prune for shortening long shoots, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
fertilize in growing season
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Beetles, Fusarium wilt, Rust, Scab
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fragrant Bark/Stem
Yes
No
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies, Deers, Hummingbirds
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
allergic reaction, Eye irritation, Mouth itching, Vomiting
allergic conjunctivitis, Nausea, wheezing
Aesthetic Uses
Bonsai
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Improve skin condition, Making cosmetics, Removes pimples
For treating wrinkles, Hair Conditioner, Making cosmetics
Edible Uses
Sometimes
Sometimes
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Forms dense stands, Nesting sites for birds, soil stabilisation
Air purification, Indoor Air Purification, Insect Repellent
Medicinal Uses
Aging, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Headache
Acne, Cancer, Diarrhea, Emollient, Migraines, Oral health, treating poison ivy
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Leaves
Flowers, Leaf Stalks, Stem
Other Uses
Application in Furniture, Can be made into a herbal tea, Cosmetics
Cosmetics, Culinary use, Florist trade and landscaping, Making Perfumes, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
No
Yes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Feature Plant, Foundation, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
BURSERA simaruba
Laurus nobilis
Common Name
Gumbo Limbo, Tourist Tree, Turpentine Tree
Sweetbay
In Hindi
Bursera simaruba
Laurus nobilis
In German
Bursera simaruba
Echter Lorbeer
In French
Bursera simaruba
Laurus nobilis
In Spanish
Bursera simaruba
Laurus nobilis
In Greek
Bursera simaruba
Laurus nobilis
In Portuguese
Bursera simaruba
Loureiro
In Polish
Bursera simaruba
Wawrzyn szlachetny
In Latin
Bursera simaruba
Laurus nobilis
Phylum
Angiosperms
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Laurales
Family
Burseraceae
Magnoliaceae
Clade
Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Not Available
Epidendreae
Subfamily
Not Available
Epidendroideae
Number of Species
Not Available
Importance of Gumbo Limbo and Sweetbay
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Gumbo Limbo and Sweetbay. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Gumbo Limbo and Sweetbay 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 Sweetbay is Acne, Cancer, Diarrhea, Emollient, Migraines, Oral health and treating poison ivy. Gumbo Limbo has beauty benefits as follows: Improve skin condition, Making cosmetics and Removes pimples while Sweetbay has beauty benefits as follows: Improve skin condition, Making cosmetics and Removes pimples.
Compare Facts of Gumbo Limbo vs Sweetbay
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 Sweetbay 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 Sweetbay have allergic conjunctivitis, Nausea and wheezing respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Gumbo Limbo has showy fruits and Sweetbay has no showy fruits. Also Gumbo Limbo is not flowering and Sweetbay is not flowering . You can compare Gumbo Limbo and Sweetbay facts and facts of other plants too.