HoneyHQ

Brazilian pepper

Schinus terebinthifoliaAnacardiaceaeShrub

A South American shrub introduced to Florida and Hawaii as an ornamental and now among the worst invasive plants in both. It flowers in autumn when little else does and produces a good peppery honey, which places beekeepers and land managers in direct disagreement about a plant that covers hundreds of thousands of hectares.

Where not to plant it

Listed as a prohibited species in Florida and a noxious weed in Hawaii and elsewhere. It forms dense monocultures that exclude native vegetation across very large areas, and it is dispersed by birds so control is extremely difficult. Its honey value does not offset the damage, and it should not be planted anywhere outside its native range.

Caution

In the same family as poison ivy and mango, and the sap causes contact dermatitis in sensitive people. Handling it for removal warrants gloves and sleeves.

Value to bees

Nectar
High
Pollen
Moderate
As a honey crop
Major honey crop — yields a surplus in good years
Which bees, and why
Worked heavily in autumn. The plant is dioecious, so bees are needed for the berry set that in turn spreads it — birds eat the fruit and disperse the seed widely.
Worth knowing
A good autumn nectar source at a point in the Florida year when colonies would otherwise be consuming stores.

Flowering

In flower
September to November (northern hemisphere)

An autumn flow, and one of the last of the Florida season.

When nectar flows
Substantial from established thickets, and valuable for its timing as much as its volume.
Year-to-year variation
Reliable, since the plant is abundant and expanding. The uncertainty is eradication programmes rather than weather.

What it does to the honey

Contributes a warm peppery spice genuinely reminiscent of the pink peppercorns the plant produces.

Growing it

Conditions
Full sun on almost any soil, tolerant of salt, drought and flooding, and requiring no encouragement of any kind.
Size
3-10 m tall, forming impenetrable thickets.
Native range
Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. Invasive in Florida, Hawaii, Australia, South Africa and many subtropical regions.
Suits
Farm scale

What it looks like

A dense spreading shrub or small tree with glossy compound leaves smelling of turpentine when crushed, sprays of small cream flowers in autumn, and dense clusters of bright red berries.

Sources

  • HoneyHQ editorial synthesis — HEKNO Ltd · HoneyHQ synthesis
  • Assessment Report on Pollinators, Pollination and Food Production — Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) (2016) · Systematic review Link

How sources are selected and weighted is set out in the sources and evidence policy.

Tools for planning planting

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