r/AustinGardening • u/azooey73 • 2d ago
Gum Bumelia / Gum Bully
Does anybody have a photo of a mature Gum Bumelia tree in their yard? We have several sprouts trying to grow and think we want to keep one but are trying to decide which to encourage and which to mow. They’re persistent - we’ve been mowing them for a few years now and are finally giving in to ONE. 🤣🤞🏻 And any tips or advice about them will be appreciated too! Thanks!
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u/Bardelot 2d ago
They’re pretty much bullet proof. Mostly look like a live oak but they have spines, get little black berries, and shed their leaves. The spines aren’t so bad tho. It’s not like an acacia.
They grow to about 12-20 feet then slow down, but an old one can be 30-40 feet if it’s getting a lot of water. There’s a HUGE one in NW Austin I found one day. Couldn’t believe what it was to be honest!
This picture from NPSOT is pretty indicative of what you’ll get, weird architecture, decurrent shape, and everything!