Pistacia simaruba L.
Bursera simaruba (L.) Sarg.
Gumbo limbo, copperwood, chaca, turpentine tree
Gumbo limbo (often hyphenated) is native to the tropical regions of the Americas, including the southeastern United States. This tree is sometimes nicknamed the tourist tree, because its peeling, reddish bark resembles sunburned tourists. The soft lightweight wood, easily carved, was once used to fashion carousel horses.
Plants: 20–66′ (6–20 m) tall, with a single trunk up to 3′ (1 m) in diameter, and large, irregular branches. Its crown is about the same size around. Bark is smooth, peeling in thin layers that roll up on themselves. Outer bark is coppery red in color, while exposed new bark is whitish or silvery gray. It is resinous, and has an odor like turpentine.
Leaves: Alternate, pinnately compound, 6–8 ⨉ 4–6″ (15–20 ⨉ 10–15 cm), on a stem (petiole) 1–3″ (3–8 cm) long. Leaflets are broadly ovate, 1½–2½ ⨉ ¾–1¾″ (4–7 ⨉ 2–5 cm), and asymmetric.
Flowers: Inconspicuous racemes of flowers with 3-5 greenish or cream-colored petals.
Fruits: Dark red, elliptic in shape, three-valved, about ½–1″ (1.3–2.5 cm) long.
Habitats: Tropical or subtropical regions, in full sun or partial shade, on a wide range of well drained soils.
Online References:
References:
Elaphrium simaruba (L.) Rose
Pistacia simaruba L.
Pistacia simaruba L.
4/10/2015 · Gulf Coast Visitor Center, Everglades National Park, Everglades City, Florida · ≈ 6½ × 4′ (2.0 × 1.3 m) 
4/15/2015 · Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge Marsh Trail, Florida 
ID is uncertain 
4/13/2015 · Mahogany Hammock Trail, Everglades National Park, Florida · By Susan M. Kent · ≈ 4 × 6½′ (1.3 × 2.0 m) 
4/13/2015 · Mahogany Hammock Trail, Everglades National Park, Florida · By Susan M. Kent · ≈ 3 × 4½′ (97 × 146 cm) 
4/14/2015 · Pinelands, Everglades National Park, Florida · ≈ 1 × 1½′ (31 × 47 cm) ID is uncertain 
4/12/2015 · Shark Valley, Everglades National Park, Florida · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 15 cm) 
4/13/2015 · Mahogany Hammock Trail, Everglades National Park, Florida · ≈ 1 × 1½′ (31 × 47 cm) 
4/10/2015 · Gulf Coast Visitor Center, Everglades National Park, Everglades City, Florida 
4/15/2015 · Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge Marsh Trail, Florida · ≈ 10 × 8″ (26 × 20 cm) ID is uncertain 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves |
| Subclass | Rosidae | Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more |
| Order | Sapindales | Includes citrus; maples, horse-chestnuts, lychees and rambutans; mangos and cashews; frankincense and myrrh; mahogany and neem |
| Family | Burseraceae | The torchwood family, the frankincense and myrrh family, or simply the incense tree family—over 500 species of tropical trees and shrubs |
| Genus | Bursera | After botanist Joachim Burser (1583-1649) |
| Species | simaruba |
Bursera simaruba description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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