Broad-leaved pepper tree (brazilian pepper tree)

How to identify a broad-leaved pepper tree

Expect a broad, spreading tree, often with several trunks, usually 3 to 7 metres tall. Each compound leaf has 5 to 9 shiny leaflets that sit almost directly on the leaf stem, with a single leaflet at the tip. They are dark green on top, paler underneath and peppery when crushed. Leaflets on seedlings and suckers often have small teeth. Tiny cream flowers form branched clusters, and male and female flowers grow on separate trees. Female trees carry dense bunches of glossy berries that ripen bright red, mostly in winter. Old bark is dark and deeply ridged. The weeping pepper tree is similar, but its foliage droops and its leaflets are only 2 to 10 mm wide, against 12 to 30 mm here.

Growing a broad-leaved pepper tree in Brisbane

Brisbane suits it far too well. It is most common in south-east Queensland and north-east New South Wales, and turns up along creeks, roadsides, urban bushland and coastal wetlands. It tolerates shade and spreads fastest on waterlogged or poorly drained ground, so low-lying yards near creeks are prime territory. Most new plants start from seed dropped by birds, and most infestations trace back to mature garden trees. Business Queensland also warns it can host mango black spot, and witches' broom diseases of citrus.

What to watch out for

It's a Category 3 restricted invasive plant in Queensland, so you must not give it away, sell it or release it into the environment, and you must manage its impacts on your land. The sap is a skin irritant related to rhus and poison ivy, and some people react just by standing near a flowering tree. The leaves and berries can upset the stomach if eaten. Cut stumps and damaged roots resprout, so removal needs follow-up.

• Irritant sap or hairs. The sap contains urushiols, the same kind of irritant found in rhus trees, and touching it can cause itching, rashes, welts and swelling.
• Allergies. Being near the tree while it flowers can cause allergic reactions, including a swollen face and breathing difficulties, in some people.
• Poisonous parts. The leaves and fruit contain toxins that can cause gastroenteritis if eaten.
• Seedlings. Birds eat the berries and drop the seed in creeks, wetlands and bushland, and felled trees can keep suckering for as long as 18 months.

Pruning and care

The goal here is control rather than shaping. Pull or chip out seedlings early, because plants can start fruiting at about three years old. Business Queensland's advice for bigger trees is to tackle them in winter, mulch the branches, especially if berries are present, and expect suckers to keep appearing for as long as 18 months, so follow-up matters. Wear gloves, long sleeves and eye protection, and keep the sap off your skin. Large, multi-trunked trees and their stumps are a job for a qualified tree service.

• Tree removal
• Stump grinding