Gumbo Limbo Tree - De Soto National Memorial, Bradenton, FL - Exceptional Trees on Waymarking.com

Gumbo Limbo Tree - De Soto National Memorial, Bradenton, FL

The Gumbo Limbo Trees located at the De Soto National Memorial visitor center are some of the largest registered in the country and it is thought they were planted in the 1930. (marker in front of the tree)

It is a short walk from the parking lot to the trees along a paved walk.



Source: Wikipedia (visit link)

Bursera simaruba (Gumbo-limbo) is a tree species in the family Burseraceae, native to tropical regions of the Americas from the southeasternmost United States (southern Florida) south through Mexico and the Caribbean to Brazil and Venezuela.

Bursera simaruba, commonly referred to as "Gumbo-limbo," is a small to medium-sized tree growing to 30 m tall, with a diameter of 1 meter or less at 1.5 meters above ground. The bark is shiny dark red, the leaves are spirally arranged and pinnate with 7-11 leaflets, each leaflet broad ovate, 4-10 cm long and 2-5 cm broad.

The Gumbo-limbo is often referred to as the Tourist Tree because the tree's bark is red and peeling, like the skin of sunburnt tourists, who are a common sight in the plant's range.

Some ripe fruits are present year-round, but the main fruiting season is March and April in the northern part of the plant's range. The fruits are a small three-valved capsule encasing a single seed which is covered in a red fatty aril (seedcoat) of 5-6 mm diameter. Both ripe and unripe fruits are borne quite loosely on their stems and can spontaneously detach if the tree is shaken. Ripe capsules dehisce or are cracked open by birds. Birds also seek out the fruit to feed on the aril, which though small is rich in lipids (about half its dry weight).

Additional information:
Floridata (visit link)
De Soto National Memorial (visit link)

Genus/Species: Bursera simaruba Height: 50 Girth: 5 Method of obtaining height: Sighting along a 45 degree angle Method of obtaining girth: Arm reaching Location type: Park Age: 70 Walk time: 3 Historical significance: Not listed Planter: Not listed Website reference: Not listed Parking coordinates: Not Listed Photograpy coordinates: Not Listed

Visit Instructions:
A closeup picture of your GPS receiver in your hand, with the tree in the background, is required. If the tree is on private property, this closeup photograph with the tree in the background may be taken from the nearest public vantage point without actually going to the tree.
The required photograph does not need to show the entire tree, but the individual tree must be recognizable.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   09/03/2017 NCDaywalker visited it 11/06/2011 Michaelinda visited it 05/06/2010 sfwife visited it 09/27/2009 ChapterhouseInc visited it 02/21/2009 Lat34North visited it

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