Schinus molle

Schinus molle Details

Schinus molle, commonly known as the California Pepper Tree, is an evergreen tree grown for its attractive form and foliage. The leaves are bright green and held off arching stems to give the tree a somewhat weeping appearance. It has rough, twisted, dark grey trunk which is interesting in its own right. Fragrant, white-yellow flowers hang from the tree in summer, resulting in red berries in autumn that last into winter. These are great for attracting wildlife. It typically grows with a rounded shape to 10 m tall and 8 m wide, performing best when planted in full sun on a well-drained site. It will tolerate extended dry periods, coastal environments, urban pollution, and moderate frost only. Schinus molle is commonly grown for as a specimen, planted for shade in parks and large gardens, or used in avenue plantings. It is well-suited to Mediterranean themed gardens or anywhere a lovely specimen is desired.