Brazilian Pepper vs. Dahoon Holly

Brazilian Pepper Tree

• Native to Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil, Brazilian pepper trees were brought to parts of the United States, including Florida, in the mid-1800s as an ornamental plant. Today it grows in California, Florida, Hawaii and Texas. The Brazilian pepper tree has become an invasive nuisance, a shrub or tree that forms thickets. According to the group Keep Brevard Beautiful, it grows rapidly, propagates easily and is highly resistant to drought, flooding and native pests. It grows in almost any soil, including aquatic areas. In fact, in Florida, it is illegal to sell, grow, import, transport or possess the plant.

  The Brazilian pepper tree's dense thickets prevent native plants from receiving adequate sun and rain to thrive. It's also related to poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac, so people with sensitive skin who come into contact with it might get dermatitis. According to the University of Florida IFAS Extension Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants, the plant causes respiratory problems for some people when it is in bloom.

Description

• The Brazilian pepper tree grows as a shrub or small tree, typically 20 to 30 feet high, usually with a short trunk in a thicket of branches. The 1- to 2-inch-long leaves are arranged in odd numbers on a stem, usually seven to 13, and are oval or elliptic in shape, sometimes with a reddish midrib. Leaves smell like turpentine when crushed. The plant has both male and female flowers, which emerge in white clusters. Its glossy fruits appear in bunches and, initially green, they become bright red as they ripen. It flowers in fall, with fruits appearing by December. Seeds are spread by birds and mammals.

  Brazilian pepper trees grow so fast and easily that it can take aggressive efforts to remove them. Besides mechanical methods, current methods include using herbicides on the soil, foliage, bark and cut stumps.

Dahoon Holly

• The Go Native! website recommends planting Dahoon holly, a true holly, as a replacement for the Brazilian pepper tree's attractive display. Dahoon holly is native to North America, typically reaches 20 to 30 feet in height, has an 8- to 12-foot spread and does not produce thickets. It grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 7 through 11. It flowers in spring, and female trees also produce small, attractive bunches of red fruit in fall that look similar to the fruits of the Brazilian pepper tree, but they are clustered in groups of one to three and are larger than Brazilian pepper tree berries. Dahoon holly has shiny, leathery, oval leaves but only one per stem.

Dahoon Holly Requirements

• Plant dahoon holly in well-draining clay, loam, sand or soil that's slightly alkaline or acidic. The plant thrives in full sun or partial shade. Its crown grows fuller in full sun. Dahoon holly does best in moist soils because it is native to boggy swamp soil. It can be used as a specimen tree, but as trees have only male or female flowers, trees of each sex should be placed near each other to produce fruit. According to the University of Florida Environmental Horticulture, dahoon holly does not have any major pest or disease issues. An occasional twig gall -- an abnormal growth of tissue -- can form from a fungus infection.