Bursera simaruba | endemiccostarica

Gumbo Limbo - Bursera simaruba

Physical Features

The Gumbo-limbo is a relativly small tree, reaching heights of around 100ft (30m). A common nickname for the Gumbo Limbo is also the Copperwood tree. Hence the nickname, the Gumbo-limbo obtains a shiny maroon bark/outer layer, frequently peeling throughout the seasons.
Friut is ripe all season long, but the main season for the ripest fruit is in March and April.
- The Fruit hangs loosly off the tree, and falls like leaves when the tree is shaken or disturbed.
As I will talk about below, the Gumbo limbo's roots remain sturdy, woven deep and strong in the earth's soil.
- The Gumbo Limbo grows quickly in its early years, swiftly growing into a powerful tree in just a few years.

Seedpods of the Gumbo-limbo

Due to its rapid growth and quick and strong rooting into the soil, many citizens in Florida have adapted this tree for hurricane weather.
- Its quick growth also makes it a important tree in the beggining of reforestation
The Gumbo-limbo tree is used in construction, perfect for firewood, and even its resin can be used as glue.
The Gumbo-limbo bark is concidered and antidote, and its resin is also used in medicine tea.

Gumbo-limbo tree in Florida as a national memorial

The Gumbo-limbo is useful both economically and ecologically. It has successfuly asapted to an assortment of habitats, which include calcerous soils. (Yet it is still seceptable to the harms of boggy soils.)
The Gumbo-limbo is often nicknamed the Tourist Tree for its peeling bark that resembles the sunburned tourists.
Gumbo-limbo is the traditional wood manufactured to serve as carousel horses in the united states.

Peeling bark of the Gumbo-limbo