Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
India, Nepal, China
Southeastern United States, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Betula utilis
tourist tree, turpentine tree, chaca
Number of Varieties
21
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Mountains
Riverbanks, Sandy stream banks, Tropical rainforest
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-710-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
7-5
12-10
Sunset Zone
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17
H1, H2, 13, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Pyramidal
Twisted/Contorted
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm460.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
760.00 cm760.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Tan, Brown
Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Crimson, Copper
Leaf Color in Spring
Yellow green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Cordiform
Compound
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring
Summer, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Grafting, Stem Cutting
Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
occasional watering once established
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
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
Fertilize in early spring, Fertilize in late fall, slow-release fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Honey fungus, Leaves with brown tip, Phytophthora Root Rot, Powdery mildew, Verticillium Wilt
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions, waterlogging, Wet Site
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
-
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
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds, Butterflies, Deers, Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
allergic reaction, Eye irritation, Mouth itching, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Bonsai
Beauty Benefits
Weightloss
Improve skin condition, Making cosmetics, Removes pimples
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Forms dense stands, Nesting sites for birds, soil stabilisation
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Antioxidants, Antiseptic, Carminative
Aging, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Headache
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Leaves
Bark, Leaves
Other Uses
Used in construction, Wood is used in construction
Application in Furniture, Can be made into a herbal tea, Cosmetics
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
BETULA utilis
BURSERA simaruba
Common Name
Himalayan Birch
Gumbo Limbo, Tourist Tree, Turpentine Tree
In Hindi
हिमालय सन्टी
Bursera simaruba
In German
Himalaya-Birke
Bursera simaruba
In French
bouleau de l'Himalaya
Bursera simaruba
In Spanish
abedul del Himalaya
Bursera simaruba
In Greek
Himalayan σημύδας
Bursera simaruba
In Portuguese
bétula Himalaia
Bursera simaruba
In Polish
Himalayan brzoza
Bursera simaruba
In Latin
Birch Himalayan
Bursera simaruba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Angiosperms
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Fagales
Sapindales
Family
Betulaceae
Burseraceae
Genus
Betula
Bursera
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
3010
1
27800
👆🏻