Gumbo limbo is a tree native to the West Indies, Florida, Mexico, and Central America. It stands up to about 60 feet (18 meters) high and has a broad, spreading top. Its leaves grow around 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 centimeters) long at the ends of branches. Each leaf contains three to seven pointed leaflets. The small flowers have five petals and range from white to yellowish green. The fruits consist of red rinds, most of which enclose a single nut. A gumbo limbo’s smooth, reddish bark can shred into papery flakes. When planted, individual branches can produce roots and grow fairly rapidly into new trees. People have used a sticky substance called resin from this tree to make such products as glue and varnish.
