Bursera simaruba

Common Name: Gumbo-Limbo, Tourist Tree

Family: Burseraceae

Country of Origin: Mexico - Chiapas/Oaxaca

Uses: The wood historically was used to make carousel horses in the United States. Commonly used as a windbreak in coastal areas as it is viewed as hurricane resistant.

WORLDWIDE ETHNOMEDICAL USES: Bahamas= for aches(back), debility, hunger, impotency, rashes, strains; as an aphrodisiac. Belize for colds, blood cleansing, fevers, flu, insect bites, measles, rashes, skin sores, sun stroke, sunburn, urinary tract infections. Dominican Republic for cystitis, intestinal problems, nephritis .Guatemala for aches(stomach), bite(snake), gangrene. Haiti as an antiseptic diuretic, insect repellant; for calculus, diarrhea, nephritis Sore, Vulnerary. Mexico for asthma, bite(snake), colic, dropsy, dysentery, enterorrhagia, fevers, stomachaches, swelling, venereal diseases, yellow fever; as an diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, purgative. Peru as an analgesic, blood purifier, diaphoretic, expectorant, insecticide; for rheumatism. Venezuela for cancer(stomach), corns, debility, hernia, rheumatism. Elsewhere for aches(stomach), muscle fatigue, obesity, renitis, rheumatism, tumors, venereal diseases, wounds¹

USDA Zone: 10b-11

Accession #: 200700184

Accession Date: 2007-09-26 00:00:00

Bloom Status: 🪴 Not Flowering

Location: 1309

Quantity: 2

Source: Doug Goldman - Harvard

Culture: Prefers full sun, does not tolerate soggy feet.

Division: Magnoliophyta

Class: Magnoliopsida

Subclass: eurosid II

Order: Sapindales

Family: Burseraceae