Brazilian Peppertree (Schinus Terebinthifolius)

Features and Characteristics

Schinus terebinthifolius, commonly called Brazilian pepper tree, is a small, often multi-trunked, dioecious (separate male and female plants), evergreen tree or large shrub that typically matures as a tree to 30-40′ tall or as a shrub to 20′ tall. It is primarily noted for (a) glossy, evergreen, odd-pinnate leaves which have a pepper-like aroma when bruised, (b) white late summer flowers in panicles, (c) showy bright red berries which ripen in winter, (d) allergen-causing properties (same family as poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac), and (e) invasive and spreading habit. It is native to Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil, but has been introduced in tropical to sub-tropical areas around the world where it has naturalized and in many cases become invasive. In the U.S., it has escaped plantings and naturalized in parts of Florida, Texas, Arizona, California and Hawaii. It spreads rapidly. Each leaf (to 6-12″ long) contains 3 to 13 (typically 7 to 9) nearly stalkless, shiny green to yellowish green, ovate to lanceolate leaflets (each 1-2″ long) on a winged rachis. Small, 5-petaled white flowers in panicles to 6″ long bloom from late summer into fall. Female trees produce attractive and usually abundant clusters of spherical, berry-like fruits (to 1/4″ across) which ripen to bright red by mid-winter. Leafy, fruit-laden sprigs have in the past been commonly used as Christmas decorations (hence the sometimes used additional common names of Christmasberry and Florida holly). Gray trunk bark develops irregular furrows with age.

Genus name comes from the Greek name schinos for the mastic tree which this genus resembles in that the trees exude a mastic-like juice.

Specific epithet means pertaining to turpentine and foliage. Supposedly, for the aromatic foliage.