![]() ( English ) Scope and Content: Source: Gumbo Limbos 3 Take a close look at those branches: those formed during the past year are greenish in color, those that are more than a year old take on the red that we recognize by the name 'tourist tree'. Gumbo limbo trees can grow to 60 feet tall and two to three feet in diameter with a broad crown and large branches. No, the gumbo limbo tree doesn't get sunburned, but its bark is very thin and it naturally peels in patches much like a human with a bad sunburn. The gumbo limbo tree is called the tourist tree because of its red, peeling skin. Whenever that name is associated with the gumbo limbo tree for the first time, the listener standing before the tree erupts with a broad smile, if not an audible chuckle showing immediate understanding. Although the name 'gumbo limbo' seems rather catchy and easy to remember, this tropical tree that is native to South Florida and the Caribbean Basin is probably best known in the United States by the colloquial name 'tourist tree'. ( English ) Scope and Content: Source: Gumbo Limbos 2 The name 'gumbo limbo' is a reference to the sticky quality of the tree sap that made it useful in catching birds. The word 'limbo' doesn't come from the English word referring to a place between heaven and hell, but apparently from the African Bantu language. So what is sticky about the gumbo limbo tree? Its sap. ![]() The name is also linked to the thick, sticky mud called 'gumbo' of the Mississippi Delta and, of course, to chewing gum. The name 'gumbo limbo' seems to have its origin in African American heritage and yes, it's also linked to the thick soup we call 'gumbo': soup that is made thicker and somewhat sticky by the addition of okra. Native from Central America and Mexico through the West Indies, the gumbo limbo tree is also an important component of South Florida hammock habitats and an important landscape plant. Among Florida's native plants are many tropical species whose ranges barely reach into the state. As a street tree, gumbo-limbo is an eye-catching, native Floridian conversation piece.Notes Scope and Content: Source: Gumbo Limbos 1 Use gumbo-limbo in large lawns to cast welcoming summer shade on picnics or barbeques. Leaf litter is not a problem with this tree, and the colorful fruit is attractive to birds. New growth sprouts readily from the scar if a branch breaks or falls away. The wood is lightweight and porous, and was used to make carousel horses before the invention of plastics. Wind damage is usually minor, even in strong storms. Gumbo-limbo trees are salt resistant and suitable for coastal plantings. This tree appreciates watering during periods of drought but won’t tolerate boggy soils or wet feet. Gumbo-limbo grows equally well in full sun or partial shade. ![]() Plant gumbo-limbo trees in open areas away from sidewalks, allowing enough space to accommodate the crown. Gumbo-limbo is the only tree native to Florida that sheds its foliage annually. The feathery, bright green leaves fall away for a short period during the winter months. Inconspicuous green flowers bloom in the spring and ripen into small, red berries. The crown is supported by between two and four sturdy, low-growing branches. ![]() The coppery red bark peels away in strips, revealing the shiny greenish-gray surface below. The most remarkable thing about the tree may be its unusually thick trunk, which can attain a diameter of 2 to 3 feet. The canopy is rounded, dense and spreading. Gumbo-limbo is a medium-sized tree that rises to between 20 and 50 feet in height. A quick rate of growth, an understandable happiness in the Florida climate and a unique appearance has made the gumbo-limbo a favorite shade and specimen tree throughout the state. The gumbo-limbo tree is a beautiful Florida native that grows wild in the seaside regions of Brevard and Pinellas counties and south to the coastal islands.
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