Other Names:  Elephant Tree, Torchwood

Description:

An interesting bonsai-like shrub with a short, thick trunk, and peeling white bark; dark green foliage has a citrus like odor when crushed; low water needs; drought deciduous; great for rock gardens or containers

Ornamental Features

Fragrant Bursera has attractive dark green deciduous foliage on a plant with an upright spreading habit of growth. The fragrant oval compound leaves are highly ornamental but do not develop any appreciable fall color. The fruits are showy green drupes displayed in late summer. The peeling white bark is extremely showy and adds significant winter interest.

Landscape Attributes

Fragrant Bursera is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and may require the occasional pruning to look its best. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Fragrant Bursera is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Fragrant Bursera will grow to be about 6 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for xeriscaping or the moisture-conserving landscape. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is native to parts of North America.

Fragrant Bursera makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.