![]() ![]() Uses: Specimen, Shade, Medicinal, Wildlife. If you venture away from your Roatan vacation rental while visiting, you have a good chance of seeing many fences made from this red tree throughout the island. Native to South Florida, the Gumbo-limbo tree is a large semi evergreen tree that. Its many branches and dense foliage make it an excellent shade tree. As mentioned, the trees can grow quite fast and can reach to almost 100 feet in height. Apparently the horses on old time carousel rides were originally carved out of gumbo limbo tree wood. Gumbo-limbo wood is a bit too brittle to be used for heavy duty construction, however it’s easily carved and has long been used to make decorative items. This adds to its popularity in coastal communities. The gumbo-limbo grows well in a wide variety of conditions but compared to other trees it does exceptionally well in soils with high salt content. Its strong root system makes the tree hurricane resistant and has popularized its use as a wind buffer in countries located along the hurricane belt. As a relative of plants such as frankincense and myrrh, the gumbo-limbo tree resin also works well as an incense.īecause the gumbo-limbo tree is a fast grower and has many branches low to the ground, it has been used to delineate properties as a sort of natural fence. The resin has been used as an antidote for poison ivy and other tropical plants that similarly affect the skin. Consuming a tea made from the gumbo limbo bark supposedly reduces the symptoms related to fever, colds and infections as well as relieving stomach aches. It also works on other skin conditions such as rashes, sores or bumps due to insect bites or measles. Ironically, one of the afflictions that gumbo limbo tree bark is good for is sunburns. The gumbo-limbo tree bark produces a resin that’s used by natural healers for a number of skin ailments. ![]() And although its appearance is quite striking, the bark has other properties that are quite useful for a variety of medicinal purposes. This bark is one of the defining characteristics of the tree. The gumbo-limbo tree is also known as the Tourist Tree because its red, peeling bark resembles the skin of a recently arrived tourist who’s had too much sun. If a name like that doesn’t make you want to find out more, not sure what will! If to know more about this odd-looking tree, here are the interesting facts: Roatan’s Tourist Tree If you have wondered where on earth that name came from, it is named after a famous tree that grows on Roatan, the Gumbalimba or Gumbo-Limbo tree. If you have been planning on visiting West Bay Beach and you have been searching for Roatan vacation rentals by owner in that area, it is quite likely you have heard mention of the tourist attraction, Gumbalimba Park, which features botanical gardens and an animal preserve.
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