Burseraceae

Gumbo limbo

Bursera simaruba (L.) Sarg.

Family: Burseraceae
Genus: Bursera

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Gumbo limbo: Bursera simaruba — Photo: Louise Wolff, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons

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Common names

By language (13)

Arabic: بورسيرا سيماروبا
arz: بورسيرا سيماروبا
Chinese: 銅木, 裂榄, 苦木裂欖木
Czech: Březule balzámová
English: Gumbo limbo
Estonian: Kummibursera, Turistipuu
French: Gommier rouge
German: Amerikanischer Balsam
Haitian Creole: Gomye blan, Gonmye, Gonmye blan
hsb: Ameriski balsam
Japanese: ガンボリンボ
Malayalam: ബർസെറ സിമാരുബ
Spanish: Chaka, Chaká, Indio desnudo, Jinocuabo, Jiñocuabo, Jiñocuajo, Palo mulato

Synonyms

Bursera arborea (Rose) L.Riley
Bursera bonairensis Bold.
Bursera gummifera L.
Bursera gummifera var. glabrata Griseb.
Bursera gummifera var. polyphylla DC.
Bursera integerrima (Tul.) Triana & Planch.
Bursera simaruba var. yucatanensis Lundell
Bursera subpubescens (Rose) Engl.
Elaphrium arboreum (Rose) Rose
Elaphrium integerrimum Tul.
Elaphrium simaruba (L.) Rose
Elaphrium subpubescens Rose
Icicariba simaruba M.Gómez
Pistacia simaruba L.
Terebinthus arborea Rose
Terebinthus simaruba (L.) W.Wight ex Rose

Flowers

Flower colour: green (USDA PLANTS Database)

Characteristics

Growth habit: Shrub, Tree
Lifespan: Perennial
In the US and Canada: Lower 48 states: native, Navassa Island: native, Puerto Rico: native, U.S. Virgin Islands: native

Photos

Photo: Louise Wolff, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Dick Culbert from Gibsons, B.C., Canada, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: wwattles, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: Daderot, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Marie-Pierre Pratlong, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: Photo by David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Guillaume Martin, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: Photo by David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Élisabeth luquet, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: Photo by David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Gerard MATHIEU, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: Photo by David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons

More in Bursera

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.