Bursera penicillata
Care, watering, light and tips for Bursera penicillata on Floravia.
Quick facts
- Family: Burseraceae
- Difficulty: Moderate care
- Watering: every 14 days
- Light: Partial shade
- Temperature: 10–30 °C
About Bursera penicillata
Bursera penicillata, known as Torote Copal, is a deciduous tree or shrub native to Mexico, valued for its succulent, exfoliating copper-colored trunk, which gives it great ornamental appeal. Its tortuous branches and bright green foliage, which turns yellowish in autumn, make it ideal for xeriscape gardens, patios, and as a specimen plant in warm climates. Its aromatic resin has been traditionally used as incense.
Native range
Mexico (Oaxaca, Puebla, Guerrero, Morelos, and Michoacán)
Care tips
It requires full sun for optimal growth and abundant flowering, tolerating some partial shade in very hot climates. Watering should be moderate during the growing season (spring-summer) and sparse or none in winter, when the plant goes dormant and loses its leaves, avoiding waterlogging which can lead to rot. Use a well-drained, sandy or rocky substrate, similar to that for cacti. A common mistake is overwatering during the dormancy period, which can be fatal for the plant.
How to save a dying Bursera penicillata
- Warning signs
- Yellowish or massive leaf drop, soft/wrinkled stem, no new shoots.
- First aid
- Move to full sun, reduce watering, check drainage, prune dry/diseased branches.
- What kills it
- Overwatering, prolonged shade, poor drainage, frost.
- Can it be saved?
- Yes, if the main stem is not rotted and healthy parts remain.