Gumbo-limbo
Gumbo-limbo, because its bark turns red and peals up (just like a sun burnt tourist), has been unfairly dubbed “the tourist tree.”
That’s a shame because not only is it a native, it’s a favorite among south Florida natives, and quite frankly, it’s the type of tree that your normal unsuspecting tourist (and especially the sun bathing variety) probably wouldn’t give much notice.
I’m not a native myself, nor am I a botanist: but this is one tree that I routinely stop to admire:
Its trunk and branches exude a sinuous strength (which makes it hurricane resistant).
And because you only find it below the frost line (southern Florida) and above the water line (in hammocks … since they don’t like to get their feet wet) – Gumbos are about as rare to find as a south Florida native.
Thus, I propose we call it the “fair skinned native.”
As for the "tourist tree" label, I say we give that one to the Melaleuca: it’s an invasive exotic from Australia that has overtaken and outcrowded native vegetation in the Everglades.
It's bark peels but doesn’t burn red … close enough!
6 comments:
Great idea, Bob.... Let the sun-burned tourists have that Melaleuca tree, since it's not a native!!!! Write the governor!!!!! ha
I have never heard of or seen your Gumbo.. Red bark, huh? AND--it peals UP????? Interesting...
Hope you have a great Sunday.
Betsy
There is so much "exotic" vegetation to my Michigan eye's in Florida. I will have to look for this one next trip, and proudly dazzle my companions when I know the name;)
There used to be an absolutely enormous gumbo-limbo at the Periwinkle Place shopping plaza on Sanibel Island. Unfortunately, Hurricane Charley had a huge impact on the tree, and it was removed. That tree was a wonder!
Tink *~*~*
Interesting and humorous observations on the tourist tree designation. Our "tourist tree" should be the Russian olive. It's an invasive introduced as a wind break that's taking over along the creek banks around here. It's practically indestrucible and has wicked thorns. On second thought, maybe I shouldn't be so hard on the tourists as to compare them to the Russian olive!
Few people in the US today know that the Gumbo Limbo also provides the antidote for Poisonwood, a particularly nasty tree that often grows right next to Gumbo and which causes a reaction like poison ivy, but 100 times worse! Simply boil the leaves and when it has cooled enough, pour it over the infected areas. A native plant doctor in Central America taught me this a few decades ago. To this day, the only reference I've seen to this here in the US is on a small placard describing the medicinal practices at the Civil War era Fort Jefferson on the Dry Tortugas. Yet another reason to admire this tree!
thats good to know, Vic, and good to see you here too ! This tree is also widely seen in central america, where some call it "indio desnudo", naked indian; they also use it as live fences, as this tree can propagate from cut branches stuck in the ground.
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