Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi

Management Notes (for the Swan NRM Region)

General Biology. Growth form. Tree. Reproduction. Seed, suckers. Dispersal. Birds, small mammals, water, garden refuse, soil movement, inappropriate plantings. Time to first flowering. 3 years. Toxicity. Unripe fruit can be fatal to horses, crushed ripe fruit causes respiratory difficulties in humans, contact with sap or resin can cause skin irritation. Vegetative regeneration strategy. Resprouts, produces root suckers. Seedbank persistence. Short, days - 1 year. Fire response. Established trees not killed by fire, rapidly recover from less severe burning or do not burn. Fire retards growth and/or kills smaller plants.

Notes. Forms dense thickets which shade out and smother native vegetation, can block access to creeks. Has been the target for biocontrol in the US. Allelopathic. Stems sprout prolifically after canopy damage. Physical damage to root system or canopy also increases root suckering.

Additional information. Origin. Tropical South America. History of use/introduction. Garden escape. Similar exotic species. Schinus molle var. areira.

Suggested method of management and control. Hand pull seedlings ensuring removal of all root material. Stem inject older plants using 50% glyphosate or basal bark with 250 ml Access® in 15 L of diesel to bottom 50 cm of trunk during summer. Avoid root disturbance until trees are confirmed dead. Read the manufacturers' labels and material safety data sheets before using herbicides. For further information consult the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to determine the status of permits for your situation or state.

Management Calendar

Legend: Y = Yes, regularly, O = Occasionally, U = Uncertain, referred by others but not confirmed.

References

• Brooks, K. (2001) Managing weeds in bushland: Brazilian pepper and other woody weeds. Environmental Weeds Action Network URL: http://www.environmentalweedsactionnetwork.org.au/ - Accessed December 2007.
• Brown, K. & Brooks, K. (2002) Bushland Weeds: A Practical Guide to their Management. Environmental Weeds Action Network, Greenwood.
• Carter, R. & Newman, C. (2004) Environmental Weeds, Eastern Plains and Hills Region. Wooroloo Brook Land Conservation District Committee and the City of Swan, Gidgegannup, Western Australia.
• Coladonato, M. (1992) Schinus terebinthifolius. In U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (2002, April). Fire Effects Information System. URL: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/ - Accessed December 2007.
• Donnelly, M.J., Green, D.M. & Walters, L.J. (2008) Allelopathic effects of fruits of the Brazilian pepper Schinus terebinthifolius on growth, leaf production and biomass of seedlings of the red mangrove Rhizophora mangle and the black mangrove Avicennia germinans. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 357 (2): 149-156.
• Doren, R.F. & Whiteaker, L.D. (1990) Effects of fire on different size individuals of Schinus terebinthifolius. Natural Areas Journal, 10 (3): 107-113.
• Elfers, S.C. (1988) Element stewardship abstract for Schinus terebinthifolius. The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, USA. URL: http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/esadocs.html - Accessed December 2007.
• Ferreter, A. (ed.) (1997) Brazilian pepper management plan for Florida. URL: http://www.fleppc.org/Manage_Plans/schinus.pdf - Accessed December 2007. The Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council’s Brazilian Pepper Task Force.
• Hussey, B.M.J., Keighery, G.J., Dodd, J., Lloyd, S.G. & Cousens, R.D. (2007) Western Weeds. A guide to the weeds of Western Australia. 2nd Edition. The Plant Protection Society of Western Australia, Victoria Park.
• Morgan, E.C. & Overholt, W.A. (2005) Potential allelopathic effects of Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi, Anacardiaceae) aqueous extract on germination and growth of selected Florida native plants. The Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society, 132 (1): 11-15.
• Morton, J.F. (1978) Brazilian pepper—Its impact on people, animals and the environment. Economic Botany, 32 (4): 0013-0001.
• Muyt, A. (2001) Bush invaders of South-East Australia: A guide to the identification and control of environmental weeds found in South-East Australia. R.G. & F.J. Richardson, Melbourne.
• Navie, S. & Adkins, S. (2008) Environmental Weeds of Australia, An interactive identification and information resource for over 1000 invasive plants. Centre for Biological Information Technology, The University of Queensland.
• Panetta, F.D. & Anderson, T. (2001) Chemical control of broad-leaved pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi). Plant Protection Quarterly, 16 (1): 26-31.
• Panetta, F.D. & McKee, J. (1997) Recruitment of the invasive ornamental, Schinus terebinthifolius, is dependent on frugivores. Australian Journal of Ecology, 22: 432-438.
• Parsons, W.T. & Cuthbertson, E.G. (2001) Noxious weeds of Australia. 2nd Edition. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood.
• Spector, T. & Putz, F.E. (2006) Biomechanical Plasticity Facilitates Invasion of Maritime Forests in the southern USA by Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius). Biological Invasions, 8 (2): 1387-3547.
• Treadwell, L.W. & Cuda, J.P. (2007) Effects of Defoliation on Growth and Reproduction of Brazilian Peppertree (Schinus terebinthifolius). Weed Science, 55 (2): 137-142.
• Williams, D.A., Muchugu, E., Overholt, W.A. & Cuda, J.P. (2007) Colonization patterns of the invasive Brazilian peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolius, in Florida. Heredity, 98: 284-293.