Identification of pest plants is not always easy.
To help residents rid their yards of undesirable plants a Bundaberg Regional Council Plant Swap Program has been launched in partnership with and Bundaberg and District Landcare Association.
The broad-leaved pepper tree, Schinus terebinthifolius, is listed as a restricted invasive plant under the Biosecurity Act 2014.
It is a serious threat to native vegetation, rapidly colonising disturbed bushland, out-competing and replacing native grasses.
Other common names include Brazilian holly, Brazilian pepper and Christmas berry.
The broad-leaved pepper tree is native to South America and it was originally introduced as an ornamental shrub.
It can be identified by looking for the following features:
- It can grow up to 7m high and 10m wide due to its spreading branches.
- Broad leaved pepper tree fruit are glossy round fruit approximately 6mm in diameter, they are small and fleshy and bright red in colour when ripe.
- The leaves and flowers of the broad-leaved pepper tree consist of 5 – 9 dark green leaflets and the leaves have a pepper smell when crushed.
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