B. microphylla is native to the area. They grow on and around South Mountain city park. This monster is less than a quarter mile from a street in Awatukee.

The trunk at the ground is about a foot across.

I have two growing in my yard. I got one from Baker nursery and the other from Boyce Thompson. Sadly they are both way more frost sensitive than the ones growing on the mountain down the street. At 25 degrees mine froze almost to the ground, the native ones were unfazed. They will grow back. They can take full sun and once established need no irrigation.

From what I've read microphylla is the most frost tolerant of all the Bursera.

Great information and cool pic, jon, thanks for both. Too bad the commercial ones don't seem quite as hardy. I'll plop them in the ground in a protected spot and see what happens. Awesome pic! Thanks again, happy gardening!

Cool information on your Bursera too, Phil, thanks for posting it! They really are neat trees/shrubs. I'll definitely keep an eye on water and sun exposure too. Happy gardening!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bursera_microphylla scroll down the page they have pics of it growing in phoenix south mtn park, looks like they love growing on rocks.

Very interesting. I had no idea that it is so saxicolous. I am a long time devotee of epiphytic cacti (50+ years). There quite a few saxicolous species. Of course, all are tropicals. There is plenty of water to boost them along. B. microphylla, on the other hand has little rain to rely on. I understand that it virtually never rains on the central Baja coastal area where the most interesting colony of microphylla lives. That colony virtually exists on coastal fog. Although I have never been able to confirm it's provenance, suspicions are that's where my plant came from. The plants there have a habit of creeping horizontally very close to the ground. I've potted my plant near vertically several times over the years. It always works itself to near horizontal. I understand that some of the trunks are 12" in diameter in Baja. They must be amazingly old to have gathered and retained enough water to grow that large almost solely from fog.

Another interesting feature of microphylla is the crushed leaf scent is very similar to quality frankincense from Boswellia sacra. I acquired some from the vaunted and ancient Dhofar, Oman area a few years ago to compare. At the time I had a couple other Bursera species. Microphylla was the only 'smeller' of the bunch. None seems to have the resins of the Boswellia species. They are all members of the botanical family Burseraceae.

As soon as I have a bit of sun around here, I shall get some pics of my plant to send along. It's rather unique compared to the Wiki plants.

A top, side and close up of the trunk with an 18" rule. Sorry about the distracting backdrop. The couple of brown branches are several years 'young'. The root system is very minimal. I do feed non-urea food at times. It's a plant that just doesn't need much attention. As mentioned earlier, these are last years leaves. For whatever reason, I think it's entering into Winter deciduous period now. Click on the pic for a larger view

Very cool plant indeed! I have had one (microphylla) in a pot for 10 years. It has been a super easy care house plant that does fine with varying light levels (through the seasons and from one window to another), poor soil, and varying amounts of water. It definitely drops leaves in dry conditions, and only needs a short period of good light and water to produce new growth and even set berries. It reminds me somewhat of a jade plant in that the trunk is more succulent than woody. Of course the leaves are vastly different though. Anyway I love the smell of the bruised branches and foliage.

In inland central Baja there are many beautiful examples of this plant, along with the incredibly similar but unrelated Pachycormus discolor from the same family as sumac, which is also called elephant tree. Pachycormus lacks the wonderful scent though.

Thanks for the great link, hari, and for the cool information and photos, Phil, they're a real treat to see. I will definitely make sure to not fuss over my little guy too much from what everyone is saying. Love the pics from South Mountain--so iconic. Glad you're a fan to nmfruit, the scent really IS great isn't it? Happy gardening all, thanks!

I sooo want one of these. May I ask the price? How does it handle the cold? I'm worried about frost tolerance...

I have no idea of price. My thought is that they are pretty scarce in the market place. I never see frost here, so I don't know for sure. They do grow in the Anza Borrego Desert and in Arizona. My guess is, that even if it's very fleshy, it can tolerate some frost. I believe that mine is a variety that likely won't tolerate much true cold. I believe that it originated from a coastal fog belt in Baja. That variety seems to have some different characteristics than other varieties. (see my post above) I'm told that it is quite illegal to harvest from this area.

A last note, mine is in it full blown, glorious bloom now after I withheld water to put the plant into deciduous mode. It was quite brief, but necessary, I feel. Nope, it's not very impressive without a magnifying glass. Pretty little bright yellow flowers. I'll drag out the macro lens and try to get a few pics manana.

Sorry... Go everything all set up in the house. Ugly, but hot/humid out. I missed the bloom this time. I have decided the next deciduous period, I am going to take a couple cuttings. I may just air layer them now.

Another thing I've just come to realize about these plants, they are not Winter deciduous. The are water, or lack there of, deciduous. I have always withheld water when the foliage gets 'scruffy', which turns out the key to the deciduous period. I let the plant rest leafless for a couple (or more) weeks, then start watering again. I just never thought about the process before. Maybe if I were more faithful in the process, this beast would grow a bit faster. It's quite healthy, but a super slow gower.

Great updates! I still have my two in pots, and saw a lot of them for sale at last weekend's Desert Botanical Garden plant sale. I imagine the Boyce Thompson Arboretum plant sale THIS weekend *might* have some too? I love seeing//hearing about how everyone is growing these. Happy gardening all!

I think I saw a mature tree at Arizona Cactus Sale in Chandler. I was instantly attracted to the texture , pattern , and color of its bark. They do have several small plants for sale.

I live in Texas but have been to Baja numerous times and love these trees, referred to as torote blanco trees there. Any idea where I can buy/order one?

I have a Bursera doing well in a large pot despite the fact that I live in Ventura. Lotsa sun and small weekly waterings in summer keeps it happy. It has produced dozens of seeds and it seems that all the energy went to the latter as leaf production was zero on those branches. I concur that really well drained soil and gravel is optimal. On my last trip to Anza I visited the LAST Bursera known to be in the park. If you ever make the the road trip down to Baja (a cactus and desert tree wonderland) be sure to stop in Catavina (home to forests of 60 ft. Boojum trees Columnaris) and def. stop by the Volcanes de Los Tres Virgenes on the plateau above Santa Rosalia. There you will see hundreds of Pachycormus Discolor trees that are 5 ft. in diameter and grow straight into volcanic lava. Astounding.

We now have three of these absolutely thriving in our yard in East Mesa, Arizona. Their trunks are already swelling nicely and they have dropped no leaves. They love it here, and we love them. We got them as pretty much little twigs a few years ago, but my how they have grown. They just thrive on neglect, which is one of my specialties!

I just bought one in Tucson today at Plants for the Southwest. They have some starts in 2" pots that are inexpensive. (Really nice small local nursery with many non-typical plants. Lots of succulent type.) Debating on whether to keep the plant in a pot or put it in the ground. If it is cold sensitive, then the best spot might be near the street where it will get heat from the sidewalk/street during the winter.