Photo courtesy of Geoff Nichols
Brazilian pepper tree,Schinus terebinthifolius
Brazilian pepper is an evergreen tree growing up to 6m high with wide-spreading, horizontal branches. The dark green leaves have prominent, pale veins above and are paler and smoother below and smell peppery when crushed. It has small, creamy-white flowers with male and female flowers developing on separate trees.
Its bountiful crop of bright red berries are distinctive. They are poisonous, but birds love to eat and disperse them. Therefore if you have a Brazilian pepper in your garden, you are inadvertently infecting the neighbourhood with this invasive species. The roots are invasive and can destroy water pipes.
Flowering period: September to March. Berries: from April
It is tolerant to heat and drought, grows rapidly and numerous light weight seeds are easily dispersed by wind, water and animals, so it has the ability to quickly form dense stands and outcompete indigenous vegetation.
To eradicate this tree: Cut saplings off low down and paint the freshly cut stump to prevent regrowth / coppicing with an appropriate herbicide, ensuring that instructions on the label are followed for your own safety. For small / large trees apply the herbicide using diesel as a carrier / penetrant, in a ring around the base of the tree trunk to a height of 30cm. For very large trees that are close to a building, wall or roadway, follow the above method, but when the tree has died, consider hiring an expert to cut the tree down to prevent damage to property from falling branches.
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