Schinus terebinthifolius

Schinus terebinthifolius subsp. var.	Brazilian pepper tree
	Habit: tree Height: ⇕ to Width: ⇔ to 20ft 15ft Height: ⇕ warning.png"" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki. to 20 ft Width: ⇔ warning.png"" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki. to 15 ft Lifespan: ⌛ perennial Origin: ✈ Poisonous: ☠ sap can cause skin reaction Bloom: ❀ early spring, mid spring, late spring, early summer, mid summer, late summer	Exposure: ☼ sun Water: ◍ Features: ✓ flowers, invasive Hidden fields, interally pass variables to right place Minimum Temp: ☃ °Fwarning.png"°F" is not a number. USDA Zones: 9 to 12 Sunset Zones: Flower features: ❀ white
	Anacardiaceae > Schinus terebinthifolius var. ,

Schinus terebinthifolius is a species of flowering plant in the cashew family, Anacardiaceae, that is native to subtropical and tropical South America (southeastern Brazil, northern Argentina and Paraguay). Common names include Brazilian Pepper, Aroeira, Florida Holly, Rose Pepper, and Christmasberry.

Brazilian Pepper is a sprawling shrub or small tree, reaching a height of 7-10 m. The branches can be upright, reclining, or nearly vine-like, all on the same plant. Its plastic morphology allows it to thrive in all kinds of ecosystems: from dunes to swamps, where it grows as a quasi-aquatic plant. The leaves are alternate, 10-22 cm long, pinnately compound with (3-) 5-15 leaflets; the leaflets are roughly oval (lanceolate to elliptical), 3-6 cm long and 2-3.5 cm broad, and have finely toothed margins, an acute to rounded apex and yellowish veins. The leaf rachis between the leaflets is usually (but not invariably) slightly winged. The plant is dioeceous, with small white flowers borne profusely in axillary clusters. The fruit is a small red spherical drupe 4-5 mm diameter, carried in dense clusters of hundreds of berries.

Brazilian pepper is widely grown as an ornamental plant in frost-free regions of South America for its foliage and fruit. It is considered as a melliferous flower.

Although it is not a true pepper (Piper), its dried drupes are often sold as pink peppercorns. The seeds can be used as a spice, if used in moderation, adding a pepper-like taste to food.

Planted originally as an ornamental outside of its native range, Brazilian pepper has become widespread and is considered an invasive species in many subtropical regions with moderate to high rainfall. Brazilian Pepper is hard to control because it produces basal shoots if the trunk is cut. Trees also produce abundant seeds that are dispersed by birds and ants.

Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Schinus terebinthifolius, Raddi, with racemose fls., lvs. composed of 7 broader, somewhat serrated lfts. and scarlet berries, is sparingly met with in cult. in S. Calif., and proves hardy in San Francisco. Brazil. CH The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

Varieties

There are two varieties:

• Schinus terebinthifolius var. acutifolius. Leaves to 22 cm, with 7-15 leaflets; fruit pink.
• Schinus terebinthifolius var. terebinthifolius. Leaves to 17 cm, with 5-13 leaflets; fruit red.

Gallery

• Brazilian pepper tree.jpg
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  leaves

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  flowers

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  stem

References

• Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

External links

• w:Schinus terebinthifolius. Some of the material on this page may be from Wikipedia, under the Creative Commons license.
• Schinus terebinthifolius QR Code (Size 50, 100, 200, 500)