Gumbo Limbo
The peeling red bark earns it the nickname tourist tree. Fast, hurricane-tough, and right at home near the coast.
Bursera simaruba
The "tourist tree," red and peeling like a sunburned visitor, and just about bulletproof.
Why it works here
This is one of my favorite South Florida natives, and it earns it. The coppery, peeling bark is gorgeous year round, it laughs at drought and salt, and it stands up to storms as well as almost anything. It grows fast, casts good light shade, and asks for basically nothing. Birds work the fruit and it anchors a native hammock planting beautifully.
Care
Water it while it establishes, then forget the hose, it genuinely prefers the dry side and can rot in soggy ground. No special feeding, a little compost and mulch is more than enough. You can prune to shape it in the warm season and it heals fast. Fun fact that tells you how tough it is: people root whole big branches, called truncheons, by just sticking them in the ground, so a fallen limb can literally become a new tree.
Common problems
Root or trunk rot in wet, poorly drained spots. The fix is siting: plant it high and dry, never in a low spot that puddles.
Cold damage during a rare hard freeze inland. Response is placement, keep it in a warm, protected part of the yard away from open frost pockets.
Occasional caterpillars chewing leaves. Almost never worth acting on, and if it bothers you, hand pick them and let the birds have the rest.
Common questions
Why is the bark peeling like that? Is the tree sick?
Not at all, that red, papery peel is exactly what it is supposed to do, which is how it got the nickname tourist tree. Healthy and normal.
Can I grow one from a cutting?
Yes, and easily, which is unusual for a shade tree. A good sized branch pushed into the ground in the warm season will often root and grow. It is a fun way to make more.
Is it messy?
Pretty tidy for a big tree. It drops some leaves in dry spells and the small fruits fall, but it is nothing like the litter of some other tropicals.
Interested in a gumbo limbo in your landscape?
We plan, install, and care for it. Start with a paid consultation.