Schinus polygama

Chilean pepper tree, Chilean Pepper Tree

Family: Anacardiaceae · Type: tree · Not Native

Chilean pepper tree is a naturalized tree found in southern California coastal and Peninsular Ranges regions in abandoned fields and scrublands at elevations below 1,000 meters. Flowering from May to September, this tree produces small white flowers approximately 4 to 5 millimeters across. Growing to less than 5 meters tall with spreading branches, it develops a compact, rounded form. Its simple leaves are oblong to oblanceolate, 1.5 to 3 centimeters long with entire to slightly wavy margins. The tree produces small round fruits approximately 5 millimeters in diameter.

Habitat: Abandoned fields, slopes, scrub

Bloom period: May-Sep

Elevation: < 1000 m

Bioregions: SCo, PR

California counties: San Diego, Riverside, Los Angeles, San Bernardino

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.