Bursera simaruba
Gumbo Limbo
- Family: Burseraceae
- Form: Semi-evergreen or briefly deciduous tree, reaching 80 x 35 ft., with an open, irregular canopy
- Leaves: Alternate, odd-pinnately compound leaves comprised of 3-9 entire ovate 3 in. leaflets. Leaves are shiny green above and paler below, 6-8 in. long, with short, often pink-red tinged petioles
- Stem/Bark: Known as the "tourist tree" for its smooth shiny bark which peels off and flakes like skin, often revealing a different color beneath. The color varies from green to bronze to reddish brown
- Flower: Insignificant, creamy to greenish white in 2-5 in. long axillary racemes
- Fruit: In drupelike clusters, dark red, with ½ in. diameter elliptic berries. Berries split into 3 sections at maturity to reveal one or two ¼ in. long triangular white seeds
- Comments: Native to the tropical hammocks of coastal Florida
- Additional Resources:
UF IFAS Extension Native Plant Fact Sheet Listings
Wikipedia Link
