Fauna
Plant

Gumbo Limbo

Bursera simaruba

Also known as Tourist Tree, Copperwood, Almácigo, West Indian Birch

Gumbo limbo trees dominate Caribbean and South Florida coastal hammocks with distinctive, peeling copper bark that carries out photosynthesis even when the canopy sheds its foliage during dry spells. Their pliable branches bend rather than snap during tropical hurricanes, allowing weathered trunks to survive extreme windstorms. Clusters of ripe red seeds supply vital nourishment to migratory songbirds and resident white-crowned pigeons navigating coastal migration corridors.

TropicalDeciduousDrought-Tolerant
Gumbo Limbo reference1 / 7
(c) Ricard Busquets Reverte, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ricard Busquets Reverte · cc-by
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preySunlight, Water, Soil minerals
Predators
  • Wood-boring beetles
  • Leaf-cutting ants
ThreatsSevere frost events, coastal urban development, and habitat fragmentation
HabitatsCoastal hammocks, tropical dry forests, pine rocklands, and mangrove margins
Life span50–100 years
Classification
  1. OrderSapindales
  2. FamilyBurseraceae
  3. GenusBursera
  4. SpeciesBursera simaruba
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Bark Inspection: Examine the paper-thin, coppery sheets peeling from the trunk to reveal vibrant green photosynthetic layer beneath.
  • Canopy Birding: Scan the fruiting branches in late summer and autumn for foraging pigeons, vireos, and warblers.
  • Propagation Observation: Look for fence posts cut from gumbo limbo branches that have sprouted roots and grown into living trees.
Related species
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