Bursera is a genus with about 100 described species of flowering shrubs and trees varying in size up to 25 m high. It is the type genus for Burseraceae. The trees are native to the Americas, from the southern United States south through to northern Argentina, in tropical and warm temperate forest habitats. It is named after the 17th-century Danish botanist Joachim Burser. Several Mexican species produce a type of wood known as linaloe. They contain the aromatic oil linalool. A number of species from tropical Asia were once included in this genus, but are now treated in the genus Protium.

Bursera fagaroides is an interesting shrub or small “bonsai” tree, typically growing 30cm to 150cm tall but capable of reaching taller when irrigated. From a thick short trunk with white papery bark, that peals away to expose the pale green colour below, come the widespread stems bearing pinnately compound dark green leaves that have a citrus-like scent when crushed. The greenish coloured flowers, which often appear in spring, are very small and followed by a small green fruit that ripens after a time, up to a year, to split open and expose a single seed that is yellow to bright red. Plant in full sun in a well-drained soil and irrigate very little – too much water and fertilizer promotes lanky unattractive growth. This plant is drought deciduous in habitat but will also drop its leaves when temperatures drop in winter – can tolerate light frosts. This plant comes from north-western Mexico, including Baja California and at least up until the mid-20th century was found growing in southern Arizona.