Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Melanesia, Australia
Southeastern United States, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Umbrella plant
Amate
tourist tree, turpentine tree, chaca
Number of Varieties
10001
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Homesteads, Roadsides, Tropical regions, Woods
Riverbanks, Sandy stream banks, Tropical rainforest
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1510-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 23, 24
H1, H2, 13, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Twisted/Contorted
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm460.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
460.00 cm760.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Pink
Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Purple
Crimson, Copper
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Red, Purple
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic
Compound
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Summer, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Transplanting
Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water occasionally
occasional watering once established
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
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
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
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Birds, Butterflies, Deers, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Dermititis
allergic reaction, Eye irritation, Mouth itching, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Bonsai
Beauty Benefits
-
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
Arthritis, Asthma, Headache, Rheumatoid arthritis, Stomach pain
Aging, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Headache
Part of Plant Used
Root
Bark, Leaves
Other Uses
Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes
Application in Furniture, Can be made into a herbal tea, Cosmetics
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Screening / Wind Break, Street Trees, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
SCHEFFLERA actinophylla
BURSERA simaruba
Common Name
Octopus Tree
Gumbo Limbo, Tourist Tree, Turpentine Tree
In Hindi
ऑक्टोपस पेड़
Bursera simaruba
In German
Octopus tree
Bursera simaruba
In French
arbre Octopus
Bursera simaruba
In Spanish
árbol pulpo
Bursera simaruba
In Greek
χταπόδι δέντρο
Bursera simaruba
In Portuguese
Octopus árvore
Bursera simaruba
In Polish
Ośmiornica drzewo
Bursera simaruba
In Latin
polypus ligno
Bursera simaruba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Angiosperms
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Apiales
Sapindales
Family
Araliaceae
Burseraceae
Genus
Schefflera
Bursera
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Aralioideae
-
Number of Species
1510
1
27800
👆🏻