Brazilian peppertree USDA PLANTS Symbol: SCTE
U.S. Nativity: Exotic
Habit: Hardwood Trees Shrub or Subshrub
Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi
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Taxonomic Rank: Magnoliopsida: Sapindales: Anacardiaceae
Synonym(s): Christmas berry, Florida holly,Brazillian pepper
Native Range: Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay ()
Brazilian peppertree is a broadleaved, evergreen shrub or small tree that invades natural and disturbed areas in Hawaii, Florida, Texas and California. Plants can grow to 30 ft. (9 m) tall. The alternate, dark green leaves are pinnately compound and slightly toothed along leaflet margins. Leaflets are opposite along a (usually) winged rachis and 1-2 in. (2.5-5.1 cm) long. Leaves smell strongly of pepper or turpentine when crushed. Trees are dioecious with clusters of small, white, 5-petaled flowers developing in the leaf axils of young stems. Trees flower year-round, but flowers are most concentrated in the fall. Fruit are small, bright red berries. Brazilian peppertree invades a variety of habitats including old fields, forests, hammocks, ditches, and wetlands. It forms dense thickets that displace native vegetation. Brazilian peppertree is native to South America and was first introduced into the United States in the 1840s as an ornamental.
Identification, Biology, Control and Management Resources
Selected Images from Invasive.orgView All Images at Invasive.org


Seedling(s);
Forest & Kim Starr, U.S. Geological Survey, Bugwood.org
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Foliage;
Amy Ferriter, State of Idaho, Bugwood.org
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Flower(s);
Amy Ferriter, State of Idaho, Bugwood.org
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Fruit(s);
Dan Clark, USDI National Park Service, Bugwood.org
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Fruit(s);
Amy Ferriter, State of Idaho, Bugwood.org
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Fruit(s); fruit
Forest & Kim Starr, U.S. Geological Survey, Bugwood.org
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Foliage; with fruit
Dan Clark, USDI National Park Service, Bugwood.org
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Fruit(s);
Dan Clark, USDI National Park Service, Bugwood.org
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Plant(s); habit
Forest & Kim Starr, U.S. Geological Survey, Bugwood.org
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Plant(s); habit
Forest & Kim Starr, U.S. Geological Survey, Bugwood.org
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Infestation;
Ann Murray, University of Florida, Bugwood.org
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Plant(s);
James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
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Plant(s);
James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
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Infestation;
Randy Westbrooks, U.S. Geological Survey, Bugwood.org
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Management; Americorps removing debris
Forest & Kim Starr, U.S. Geological Survey, Bugwood.org
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Management; debris after Americorps project
Forest & Kim Starr, U.S. Geological Survey, Bugwood.org
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Management; trimmed up after Americorps project
Forest & Kim Starr, U.S. Geological Survey, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Control; removal along bike trail
Dan Clark, USDI National Park Service, Bugwood.org
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Seed(s);
Steve Hurst, USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
EDDMapS Distribution:
This map is incomplete and is based only on current site and county level reports made by experts and records obtained from USDA Plants Database. For more information, visit www.eddmaps.org 		 


State(s) Where Reported invasive.
Based on state level agency and organization lists of invasive plants from WeedUS database.
U.S. National Parks where reported invasive:
Big Cypress National Preserve (Florida)
Everglades National Park (Florida)
Haleakala National Park (Hawaii)


Invasive Listing Sources:
Archbold Biological Station
California Invasive Plant Council
Faith Campbell, 1998
Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council
Jil M. Swearingen, Survey of invasive plants occurring on National Park Service lands, 2000-2007
John Randall, The Nature Conservancy, Survey of TNC Preserves, 1995.
National  Wildlife Refuge Association, Silent Invasion: A Call to Action from the National Wildlife Refuge Association, 2002. Washington DC. 17 pp.
Reichard, Sarah. 1994.  Assessing the potential of invasiveness in woody plants introduced in North America. University of Washington Ph.D. dissertation.
University of Hawaii, Botany Department, Hawaiian Alien Plant Studies, 1998