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Common Name: California Peppertree

General Information

Schinus molle is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 8.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America.

Habitat

Dry regions in the Andes, it is found as a bush in dry lands but reaches tree size in dry river beds with accessible underground water[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	8.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a well-drained soil in full sun[]. It likes growing in sandy soils[] and succeeds in a hot dry position[].
A fast-growing tree[] in its native habitat, though it is likely to be much slower in areas where it is marginally hardy[].
This species is not very hardy outdoors in Britain, though it can succeed when grown against a sunny wall in the milder areas of the country[, ].
The oily leaves smell and taste of pepper when they are crushed[].
Dioecious, male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

Edible Uses

The dried and roasted berries are used as a pepper substitute[, , , , ]. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.
An (essential?) oil distilled from the fruit is used as a spice in baked goods and candy[].
The fruits are pulverised and used in cooling drinks called 'horchatas' in S. America[, , ].
A wine is made from the twigs and another from the berries[].
A gum that exudes from the bark is used for chewing[, ].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -