pepper tree

noun

1. any of several chiefly South American, evergreen trees belonging to the genus Schinus, of the cashew family, cultivated in subtropical regions as an ornamental.

pepper tree

noun

1. Also calledmastic tree any of several evergreen anacardiaceous trees of the chiefly South American genus Schinus, esp S. molle , having yellowish-white flowers and bright red ornamental fruits

Word History and Origins

Origin of pepper tree¹

First recorded in 1685–95

Example Sentences

Flores’ western honey bees, Apis mellifera, had been staying on the farm in Somis for the winter, feeding on the nearby pepper trees and eucalyptus to help get them through to spring.

From Los Angeles Times

Her serene retreat feels like a cabin in a national park, yet it’s perched on a slope in Lee’s Mount Washington backyard, shaded by Brazilian pepper trees.

From Los Angeles Times

Sitting outdoors, near naked under a voluminous pepper tree, in public might cause anxiety for many people.

From Los Angeles Times

In Vietnam, for example, the group helped plant more than a million pepper trees that resulted in a harvest of high-grade pepper that is now sent to the U.S.

From Seattle Times

Ms. Sadler said Bee-Haven Honey Farm had not even made 5 percent of its usual crop yield from Brazilian pepper trees, an invasive plant that blooms in the fall and is favored by the honeybee.

From New York Times