Gumbo Limbo, Tourist Tree
Bursera simaruba

PLANT TYPE: Medium tree AVERAGE SIZE: 20 to 50 feet high by 20 to 35 feet wide GROWTH RATE: Moderate LEAF: 4-8" long and have 3-7 oval or elliptic leaflets, each 1-2" long FLOWER: Small and inconspicuous, spikelike clusters with 3-5 greenish petals; Winter blooming. Fruits, which take a year to mature, are dark red, elliptic, and about a half inch long. GROWING CONDITIONS LIGHT: Light shade to full sun WATER: Water when dry, but does not tolerate constantly wet soils. CARE: Very low maintenance. Fast growth. Fertilize in March, June, and October. Click here for fertilizer coupon!

 Source: Floridata

Often called the tourist tree because of its red, flaking skin

Tolerant of salt and calcareous soils, and very fast growing, Gumbo-limbo, with its attractive shiny red exfoliating bark, makes a beautiful specimen tree in a mild coastal location. It thrives with little or no care. Gumbo-limbo makes a good summertime shade tree, and is used as a street tree in coastal cities.

Gumbo-limbo is used as a living fencepost wherever it occurs. Haitians make drums from the trunk of gumbo-limbo. A resin obtained from the trunk and bark is called chibou, cachibou or gomart in the West Indies, and is used to make glue, varnish, water repellent coatings and incense. The resin smells a little like turpentine. The fruits are eaten by several kinds of birds. The soft wood is easily carved.