FAUX POIVRIER, L’ARBRE PLEUREUR AROMATIQUE QUI PRODUIT DES BAIES ROSES. Le Quotidien du Jardin N°381

NewsJardinTV, the channel that shares your passion for plants, gardens, botany, nature, and gardening, presents episode 381 of its program "Le Quotidien du Jardin" (The Garden Daily), produced by Nicole and Patrick Mioulane. Mistigri8371 asks the following question: I bought a tree called a false pepper tree from a nursery in the Var region. I think this name comes from the spicy scent of its leaves. But can it be used as a spice? False pepper tree is the common name for Schinus molle (Linnaeus 1753, Family Anacardiaceae). It goes by several common names: Peruvian mastic tree, Peruvian resin tree, false pepper tree, moillé pepper, American pepper, pink pepper, California pepper, Peruvian pepper tree… The false pepper tree is found in the wild in arid, even desert-like areas from the Peruvian Andes to southern Brazil, but it is widely naturalized in mild climates around the world. Schinus molle is a fast-growing tree that can reach 15 m in height and 10 m in width. It has a naturally weeping habit, which makes it very decorative. The rough, grayish, often twisted bark frequently exudes a kind of resinous gum. This gum was used to embalm Inca kings. The evergreen, pinnate, compound leaves, 8 to 25 cm long and 4 to 10 cm wide, are composed of 19 to 41 alternate leaflets, giving them a light and very attractive appearance. They smell of pepper when crushed. Schinus molle is dioecious, with small, creamy-white, unisexual flowers borne on separate trees. The flowers, which bloom from January to July, are clustered in inconspicuous panicles at the branch tips. The fruits are round drupes, 5 to 7 mm in diameter, borne in dense clusters that can be present on the tree year-round. They change color from green to purplish-red, passing through pink. The fruits are often sold as "pink peppercorns," although Schinus molle is not related to true black pepper (Piper nigrum). Schinus molle is not very hardy. Its leaves are damaged at temperatures below -3°C and fall off after a frost at -5°C. A young tree will not survive a prolonged frost of -8°C. This is why we mainly see false pepper trees on the French Riviera, where they are highly valued as shade trees. Let's also mention Schinus terebinthifolia, the Brazilian pepper tree, also called "pink peppercorn" and sometimes Florida holly. It is a small tree, 7 to 10 meters tall, with a graceful, flexible habit that grows naturally in marshes. The leaves are composed of 5 to 15 finely toothed, lanceolate leaflets, marked by a yellow midrib. They give off a curious turpentine-like odor, hence the species name. However, Schinus terebinthifolia is not used to produce turpentine oil, which is obtained from the resin of maritime pines. The flowers are similar to those of Schinus molle. However, the fruits, which are borne by the hundreds, are dark red when ripe. They are also sold as a spice under the name pink peppercorns. This is a subtropical plant that must not be exposed to frost. In many tropical countries, Schinus terebinthifolia has become invasive and poses significant ecological problems because it is virtually impossible to eradicate due to its suckering behavior. Plant the false pepper tree in full sun, in light, sandy, even calcareous soil, sheltered from strong winds, which tend to cause natural leaf drop, especially in late winter. This tree requires no maintenance and, in our regions, is not attacked by pests, as its fragrant leaves have a naturally repellent effect on herbivorous insects and pathogenic fungi. It should be planted as a specimen tree, in a location far from buildings, because its suckering roots are powerful (even lifting sidewalks in some cities where it has been planted). The seeds have a particularly hard shell. They germinate best after passing through the digestive system of the birds that consume them. This is why we often see seedlings developing under the tree in the surrounding leaf litter. It's then easy to transplant them. Thank you for watching this daily program. We hope you enjoyed this short video interlude. The entire NewsJardinTV team aims to provide you with enjoyable moments in our company. We'll see you tomorrow at 7 p.m. for a new program: "THE GARDEN DAILY." It's on NewsJardinTV and nowhere else! In episode 382, ​​we'll answer the following question: I would love for you to make a video about the Cuculin flower campion, a plant that grows spontaneously on my property and that I would like to propagate.