Gumbo-Limbo
Scientific name: Bursera simaruba
Overview
Gumbo-Limbo is a lightweight Caribbean hardwood native throughout the Greater Antilles, Bahamas, and surrounding coastal regions. While the tree is widely recognized for its distinctive peeling red bark, its wood is pale, relatively soft, and easy to work.
Unlike the dense and oily hardwoods such as Roughbark Lignum Vitae, Gumbo-Limbo represents the lighter structural end of Caribbean hardwood diversity. It is valued more for utility and regional applications than for high-end decorative figure.
Quick Facts
- Common Name: Gumbo-Limbo
- Scientific Name: Bursera simaruba
- Region: Caribbean & West Indies Hardwoods (Florida, Caribbean, Central America, and northern South America)
- Tree Size: 30–60 ft tall, 1–3 ft trunk diameter
- Average Dried Weight: 27 lbs/ft³ (430 kg/m³)
- Janka Hardness: 500 lbf
- Color: Light brown to pale reddish brown
- Grain: Straight to slightly interlocked
- Texture: Medium to coarse
Identification Characteristics
Gumbo-Limbo heartwood is typically pale tan to light brown, often with minimal contrast between earlywood and latewood. The grain is generally straight, though occasional irregularity may appear. Texture is medium, and the wood surfaces smoothly when properly milled.
Key identification traits include:
- Pale tan to light brown coloration
- Relatively lightweight feel
- Straight to mildly irregular grain
- Moderate pore visibility
- Uniform appearance when surfaced
Working Properties
Gumbo-Limbo is easy to machine compared to denser Caribbean hardwoods.
- Cuts and planes easily
- Sands quickly
- Accepts glue well
- Takes stain readily
- Not ideal for high-wear applications
Due to its lower density, it is better suited for light-duty projects rather than structural or heavy-use components.
Safety Note
Standard wood dust precautions are recommended. No widely documented severe sensitivities, though individual reactions can vary.
Common Uses
Gumbo-Limbo common uses including:
- Light construction
- Carved objects
- Utility items
- Interior components
- Regional craftwork
Sustainability & Notes
Gumbo-Limbo is relatively common within its native range and is not as restricted as some denser Caribbean hardwoods. However, it is not commonly exported in large commercial quantities, and wide furniture-grade boards are uncommon in global trade.
Most documented specimens appear as smaller dimensional stock or regional-use lumber.
Comparative Notes & Related Species
Blue Mahoe – Denser and more decorative with greater color variation.
Jamaican Dogwood – Heavier and stronger with greater durability.
Roughbark Lignum Vitae – Dramatically denser and far more durable.
Related Guides
How to Start a Wood Collection
Highlights the value of including regionally unique species like Gumbo-Limbo in a wood sample collection to represent the diversity of Caribbean hardwoods.
Moisture Content & Long-Term Stability
Important due to its lower density and dimensional movement.
How to Identify Exotic Hardwood by Grain Pattern
Helps distinguish lighter Caribbean species from similar tropical woods.
Compare Wood Properties
See how this species ranks in density and hardness using our Wood Density & Janka Hardness Chart. You can also explore Hardest Woods, Softest Woods, and Most Dense Woods for quick comparisons.
Collector Notes
Gumbo-Limbo is less sought after for decorative figure but holds value within a complete Caribbean hardwood archive. Properly labeled specimens representing lighter-density Caribbean species help round out a comprehensive regional collection.
Smaller turning blanks and dimensional samples are more common than wide boards.
Share Your Photos of This Species
Do you have lumber, wood samples, tree photographs, woodworking projects, furniture, carvings, turnings, musical instruments, or other items made from this species?
Exotic Woods of the World welcomes photographs from woodworkers, collectors, sawyers, researchers, and wood enthusiasts around the world. Selected submissions may be featured on this page and throughout our website to help document and showcase real-world examples of this species.
When submitting photos, please include the common name, scientific name (if known), a brief description, and any information you would like us to share with the image.
Wood Sample Collection
This species is part of an ongoing effort to document and preserve wood samples from around the world.
Learn more about contributing to the collection:
Resources
Authoritative botanical and forestry references used in compiling information about this species include:
• USDA Forest Service – Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material
https://www.fpl.fs.usda.gov/products/publications/
• The Wood Database – Global reference for wood identification, physical properties, and woodworking characteristics
https://www.wood-database.com/
• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – Plants of the World Online – Botanical taxonomy and species distribution database
https://powo.science.kew.org/
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN Red List) – Global conservation status assessments
https://www.iucnredlist.org/
• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) – International trade regulations for protected plant species
https://cites.org/
Additional forestry publications, academic research papers, and regional timber studies may also be referenced where available.
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Through the Adopt a Species program, visitors can help support ongoing species research, educational content, photography, video production, and future conservation awareness initiatives.
Contributions help fund the continued expansion of this archive while promoting sustainable forestry education and the long-term appreciation of the world’s forests.
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Availability & Where to Buy
Exotic hardwood availability can vary significantly depending on region, sustainability regulations, and supplier inventory.
As this archive grows, recommended suppliers and specialty wood retailers will be listed here to help woodworkers locate responsibly sourced material.
Lumber Suppliers:
Availability varies — see the Where to Buy Exotic Woods page for current sources.
Related Tools & Products:
• SKIL 5-Inch Random Orbital Sander with Cyclonic Dust Box for smooth surface preparation and finish sanding
https://amzn.to/4uZgf2l
• The Complete Manual of Woodworking for detailed guidance on woodworking design, techniques, and tools
https://amzn.to/4uX3nd5
• 10-Inch 120-Tooth Fine-Finish Woodworking Saw Blade for clean, precise cuts in hardwoods and finish materials
https://amzn.to/4fpeSVU
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