Brazilian pepper-Its impact on people, animals and the environment

Abstract

Native to Brazil, Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi, of the family Anacardiaceae, has been commonly cultivated in Florida for over 50 years as a dooryard ornamental. Use of its sprays of showy red fruits for Christmas decoration gave rise to the popular misnomer "Florida holly." Too late it was found to become a large, spreading tree; aggressive seedlings began springing up near and far. Jungles of Schinus have crowded out native vegetation over vast areas of Florida and the Bahamas, as in all the islands of Hawaii. When in bloom, the tree is a major source of respiratory difficulty and dermatitis; the fruits, in quantity, intoxicate birds and cause fatal trauma in four-footed animals. The abundant nectar yields a spicy commercial honey and beekeepers are opposed to eradication programs. © 1979 New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY 10458.