If you’re on the lookout for Peruvian Pepper, keep your eyes peeled for a tree or shrub flaunting compound gray-green leaves and small pink or red berries. These trees can shoot up to an impressive height of 30 feet (10 meters). While its fruit can add a zesty kick to your meals or brew a flavorful tea, it’s not your everyday culinary ingredient.
Part of the Anacardiaceae family, which also includes the likes of Cashews and Poison Ivy, the Peruvian Pepper, or Schinus molle, is an evergreen, speedy-growing tree hailing from South America, particularly the Andean regions of Peru, Chile, and Argentina. Its reach has extended to other corners of the globe, including North America, Europe, and Australia, where it often serves as an ornamental addition. You can spot this tree by its feathery, oval-shaped compound leaves that sport up to 19 leaflets. The bark, ranging from light gray to brown, might be either sleek or slightly scaly, while its bright red and abundant berries are hard to miss.
