gumbo limbo
Bursera simaruba
USDA zones10 to 11
SunHandles full sun to partial sun
WaterHandles dry to moist soil
Size25 to 40 feet tall25 to 30 feet wide
- Growth rate
- Rapid
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn, winter
- Bloom color
- Green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Gumbo limbo (Bursera simaruba) is a tree for shade gardens, xeriscapes, and low maintenance landscapes. It grows outdoors year-round in USDA zone 10 and warmer, down to about 30°F (-1°C). In colder areas, grow it as a houseplant or bring it indoors for winter. This plant likes full or part sun and dry to moist, sandy, loamy, or clay soil. The smooth, coppery bark is its best feature, and it often hangs in thin, papery strips on large trees. The dense summer leaves make good shade.
Pairs well with Seagrape, Wild coffee, and Scarlet bush.
Native range
FL.