Bursera FAGAROIDES - Fragrant elephant tree, Bursera fagaroides, Torchwood Copal, Torote Prieto, Copal, Torote.
A very rare COLLECTOR'S plant for true connoisseurs. Can be grown in bonsai style!
Bursera is a genus of trees and shrubs in the torchwood family (Burseraceae), comprising about 100 species distributed mainly in the dry tropical forests of Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. Members of the genus are characteristic of regions with a pronounced dry season, where they are adapted to hot climates, poor soils, and prolonged periods of drought.
The plants usually have thickened, often tortuous trunks and branches. The bark in many species is aromatic, smooth, and peeling in thin sheets, beneath which brighter layers are revealed, creating an ornamental marbled pattern. The leaves are mostly pinnate or trifoliate, shedding partially or completely during the dry season, which helps reduce moisture evaporation.
The flowers are small, greenish-white or cream, gathered in loose inflorescences and appearing in the warm period, often simultaneously with new foliage. The fruits are drupaceous, dehiscing upon ripening to expose a dark seed with a brightly colored aril, which promotes dispersal by animals.
Fragrant elephant tree is a deciduous, drought-resistant shrub or small tree with a slender trunk and a branching, delicate crown. The bark is light gray, beige, or slightly greenish, and on mature plants it often peels in thin papery flakes, creating a mottled pattern. The shoots are slender, flexible, and branch rapidly. The leaves are compound, pinnate, consisting of numerous narrow or oval leaflets that give the plant a light, 'feathery' appearance. During dry periods, foliage may partially or completely drop.
Flowering usually begins in the warm season, often coinciding with the emergence of fresh foliage after rains. The flowers are small, whitish or cream, collected in small inflorescences and inconspicuous in appearance. The fruits are small, three-valved or drupe-like, dehiscing upon maturity to display the seed, which is sometimes surrounded by a bright aril. The seeds are small, dense, typical of the genus.