Bursera Species, Elephant Tree, Torote

Bursera microphylla:

For those of us not living in the arid desert of Southwestern United States, this plant still proves ...Read Morevaluable as a potted plant. I purchased a plant several years ago from the Henry Shaw Cactus Society plant show at Missouri Botanical Garden as a small sapling. It has since grown well in a 8" clay pot outdoors during the growing season. Growing media should be approximately equal parts each of soil-less potting media, sand, a cherty gravel, and half-parts vermiculite and perlite. Adding a slow-release fertilizer to mix also is recommended. Once growing in the pot, use small pea gravel as a mulch atop the media in the pot. This will add weight and keep the pot from getting too dry (when growing in a pot, too dry can prove harmful even for drought tolerant plants).

I water usually every 3-5 days in the summer and more frequent if extended heat ongoing. Tolerates humidity well--as long as in full sun and sufficient airflow.

To create a dormant state in fall (before major freezing weather commences) place potted Bursera in garage and allow leaves to yellow and senesce. If potential for freezing becomes severe, place in an unheated basement and utilize supplemental fluorescent lighting set up with a timer to allow 12 hour photoperiod. Keep dry and maybe water one time every week. This will help keep plant dormant. As soon as weather becomes warm and freeze threat abates, Bursera can be placed outside again.

Never have observed insect pests or disease problems. Resin from sap turns whitish and has an agreeable fragrance much like frankincense, a plant to which it is related (Boswellia sacra). Purported to make an excellent bonsai subject.

I have one growing in my front yard, Phoenix. It's a microphylla. Scent at first is tangerine-like, after that, it's overpowering. Just b...Read Morearely brushing the plant/tree gives off this scent.

The leaves are reputedly good for making into a tea for respiratory illness. I have distilled this plant both for the essential oil and for the hydrosol. The eo is quite abundant.

I am testing it now on ant bites on my thumb. It's quite promising. [you know those tiny, black ants that bite the heck out of you, if you live here. I have 4 in a circle around the base of my thumb] The itch woke me up twice in the middle of the night and the pain from one of them I'm well aware of. The whole thumb has been swollen and painful. 5-13-10

Most plants that grow in the wild, where there's little rainfall, do best when there's little watering in the domesticated yard. They concentrate their healing powers in their parts if left alone and not coddled. This elephant tree is that way. It will be better for you medicinally if you don't overwater it. Ditto Larrea Tridentata [chaparral].

This is a good drought tolerent tree for Phoenix. The foliage has a pleasant citrus orange and pine blend aroma. These photos of mine are...Read More of the tree growing at South Mountian Park in Phoenix while it was raining, so the bark has a wet look to it.
If you are seed collecting, you must be quick because as soon as the seeds are mature/ripe, the pod opens up and drops the seed immediately. If the seed pod is collected before it is ripe then seed is not viable. Try attaching a catch bag over the seed pod.

I've also seen this growing in the wild on the 'El Camino Del Diablo Trail' (Devils' Highway) that runs between Ajo and Wellton in Arizona through the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge.

I have a bursera microphylla (hybrid) growing in my yard in NE Phoenix. Microphyllas have very small leaves compared to Bursera Hindsiana...Read More and Fagaroides and are not as cold sensitive. It's a beautiful tree and the scent is very strong, especially after rain (when we get some). My tree is almost 6 feet tall now. Its leaves are larger than the typical microphyllas growing naturally in Phoenix South Mountain park, and could actually be a naturally occuring hybrid with Fagaroides according to the nursery where I bought the plant. I can certainly see the difference in the leaves.

Well drained soil and some extra water is a good idea in our Phoenix summer for better growth and a better looking plant. That said, they are drought hardy and quite suitable for xeriscape.

This is a good natural bonsai tree for So Cal and is very drought tolerant. It is a pretty low growing 'tree' up to about 5' (often only...Read More a 1', though), but can have branches that spread laterally for 4-5'. If watered well it can grow pretty fast (for a bonsai tree)... but care must be taken to have really well draining soil as it's apt to rot, especially in cool weather. The trunk of this tree has a papery thin bark that tends to flake off in large sections. It also has aromatic leaves that smell like an herb when touched or crushed.