Gumbo Limbo Trees, Delivered and Planted in Southwest Florida
Gumbo limbo is a South Florida native shade tree with smooth, peeling copper bark, and it is one of the best choices here for salt, wind and hurricane season. It grows quickly in full sun and sandy soil and needs little water once established. Give it room: it reaches 25 to 40 ft and spreads as wide. Our 25 gallon trees are delivered and planted by our crew.
- Light:
- Full sun
- Water:
- Low to moderate; drought tolerant once established
- Salt:
- High
Gumbo Limbo Tree sizes we deliver and plant
Every size below is planted by our crew, set at the right depth and watered in. Send the size and how many, and we text back a planted price, usually within the hour during the day.
| Plant | Sizes |
|---|---|
| Gumbo Limbo Tree | 25 Gallon |
Gumbo Limbo Tree in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 25 to 40 ft tall and as wide, taller over time
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- Low to moderate; drought tolerant once established
- Salt tolerance
- High
- Cold tolerance
- Leaves and twigs burn in a hard frost and young trees can be lost; protect them inland on frost nights
- Growth rate
- Moderate to fast
- Florida native
- Yes, South Florida native
- Botanical name
- Bursera simaruba
Where Gumbo Limbo Tree works in a SW Florida yard
Plant gumbo limbo where a big, wide canopy will help: the west side of the house, 20 to 25 ft out, over a driveway, or as the anchor of a native bed. The coppery, peeling trunk is the feature, so keep the lower trunk clear of dense shrubs.
It is semi-deciduous, so it can thin out in the dry season or after a cold snap. Underplant with Saw Palmetto, Coontie and Firebush, or set Sabal Palms nearby, for a Florida native look.
- Hurricane-tough shade tree
- Coastal and canal lots
- Large front-yard specimen
- Native landscape tree
How our crew plants it
Gumbo limbo wants a wide, shallow hole, two to three times the width of the root ball and no deeper, with the root flare level with or slightly above the soil. It builds large surface roots as it ages, so give it 20 to 25 ft from the house, pool and pavement.
Backfill with native soil, build a water ring and mulch without touching the bark. Stake a young tree for the first year only if wind rocks it. A new tree can be watered beyond the 2-day schedule until it roots in.
Care after planting
- Water on the extra new-planting schedule for the first couple of months, then taper, because established trees get by on rain and an occasional deep soak in the dry season.
- Little pruning is needed beyond removing dead wood and crossing limbs, and the tree should never be topped.
- Fertilize young trees lightly in spring and fall with a slow-release landscape product, and skip nitrogen and phosphorus from June 1 to September 30.
- Keep mowers and string trimmers away from the thin bark.
What to watch for
- Rugose spiraling whitefly favors gumbo limbo, leaving white waxy spirals under the leaves and sticky black sooty mold, and a strong water spray or horticultural oil applied early helps while healthy trees usually recover.
- Large surface roots can lift pavement if the tree is planted too close.
- Young trees are frost-tender, so cold nights inland can burn the tips and thin the crown.
Gumbo Limbo Tree questions we hear
How fast does a gumbo limbo grow?+
Fast for a shade tree. A 25 gallon tree in full sun puts on noticeable height every season once it is established, and it slows as it matures. Regular water through the first year and plenty of sun speed it up. Skip heavy nitrogen, which pushes weak, leggy growth.
Is gumbo limbo good in a hurricane?+
It is one of the best. UF/IFAS describes it as highly wind resistant, and broken limbs often resprout. No tree is storm-proof, and wet soil and overgrown crowns still cause failures. Give it room, prune lightly and keep it out from under power lines.
How close to the house can I plant a gumbo limbo?+
Plan on 20 to 25 ft from the house, pool and sidewalks. The canopy ends up 25 to 40 ft wide, and the tree builds large surface roots as it ages. It does better on the sunny side of a wide lot than in a narrow side yard.
Does gumbo limbo lose its leaves in winter?+
Often, yes. It is semi-deciduous and can thin out or drop leaves in the dry season or after a cold snap, then flush new growth in spring. The green bark keeps photosynthesizing, so a bare tree is not a dead tree. Look for green bark and fat buds before you worry.
Is gumbo limbo salt tolerant?+
Yes, it is one of the best salt-spray trees we can plant, and it grows wild in coastal hammocks. It handles wind and salt air well. It does not like standing water or flooding with saline water, so on canal lots plant it on higher ground.
How much does it cost to plant a gumbo limbo tree?+
The price depends on tree size and quantity, so we text you a planted price. Send a request with your address and where the tree will go. Replies usually come within the hour during the day, and half down holds the tree and a delivery day.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Gumbo Limbo Tree
Tell us what and how many. Quinten prices it from the nursery's live list and texts you back, usually within the hour during the day.
Only need the plant delivered, no planting? It is on our nursery's list at Palm & Plant Co.
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