The pepperberries used in crafts are the fruit of the Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius). It is one of the most aggressive of the invasive nonindigenous plants in Florida. It is invading aquatic and terrestrial habitats, greatly reducing the quality of native biotic communities in the state.
Brazilian pepper is from South America and was probably introduced as an ornamental in the mid-1800s. Because it is not particularly cold hardy, the tree occurs mostly in southern Florida. For more information about Brazilian pepper, visit: http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/schinus.html
