Plant Brazilian Pepper

Spice:

Brazilian Pepper

Botanical Name:

Schinus terebinthifolia

Botany:

Brazilian peppertree is a sprawling shrub or small tree, with a shallow root system, reaching a height of 7–10 m (23–33 ft). 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 semi-aquatic plant.[8] The leaves are alternate, 10–22 cm (3.9–8.7 in) long, pinnately compound with (3–) 5–15 leaflets; the leaflets are roughly oval (lanceolate to elliptical), 3–6 cm (1.2–2.4 in) long and 2–3.5 cm (0.79–1.38 in) 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 dioecious, with small white flowers borne profusely in axillary clusters. The fruit is a drupe 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) diameter, carried in dense clusters of hundreds. The two varieties are: S. terebinthifolia var. acutifolia, leaves to 22 cm, with 7–15 leaflets, pink fruit S. terebinthifolia var. terebinthifolia, leaves to 17 cm, with 5–13 leaflets, red fruit

Cultivation:

Brazilian pepper is widely grown as an ornamental plant in frost-free regions of South America for its foliage and fruit. In its native habitat it is a melliferous flower and is the main source of food for the stingless bee Tetragonisca angustula, which is an important honey producer in Central and South America. Although it is not a true pepper (Piper), its dried drupes are often sold as pink peppercorns, as are the fruits from the related species Schinus molle (Peruvian peppertree). The seeds can be used as a spice, adding a pepper-like taste to food. They are usually sold in a dry state and have a bright pink color. They are less often sold pickled in brine, where they have a dull, almost green hue.

Wikipedia URL:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schinus_terebinthifolia