You know, the sunshine state has a lot of invasive species. Pythons, tegus, and a myriad of other animals. Between our ports and the very harmful exotic pet industry, a lot of animals that shouldn’t be here end up doing so. But it’s not just animals. Invasive plants cover our state from end to end as well. Just yesterday I finally figured out what all of these massive, weedlike trees in my yard are. Turns out, they’re invasive! And they’re the Brazilian peppertree. It covers about 700,000 acres of ground in our state, and it’ll be our subject today.
Brazilian pepper-tree is one of the most aggressive of these non-native invaders. Where once there were ecologically productive mangrove communities, now there are pure stands of Brazilian peppertrees. Scrub and pine flatwood communities are also being affected by this invasion. Nearly all terrestrial ecosystems in central and southern Florida are being encroached upon by the Brazilian peppertree. Land managers and homeowners now are realizing the need to remove and stop the spread of Brazilian peppertrees.
Chemical and Mechanical Control
Chemical and mechanical control measures are costly and maintenance programs are required to prevent regrowth. Despite the expenditure of millions of dollars, traditional methods have been unable to stem the spread of this weed. While these control efforts continue, federal, state, and local land managers expend millions annually while waiting for better control options. Between 2010 and 2011, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) spent $ 7 million in herbicidal controls. In 2011, the South Florida Water Management District spent $1.7 million to control Brazilian peppertree. These budgets would have been larger if resources permitted.
Brazilian Peppertree Overview
The brazilian peppertree is a shrub or small tree that can reach over thirty feet in height. They have a short trunk hidden in a dense thicket of woody branches. Some of these trees can live for over thirty years! The leaves are arranged with one to two-inch long, elliptic, finely toothed leaflets. Their leaves are reddish and have a red mid-rib. They have clustering, white flowers that are two to three inches long. They also bear glossy, red fruits that are initially green but become bright red when they ripen. The seeds are brown and small, and the bear flowers in fruit from around November to December.
The brazilian peppertree is one of the most invasive species in Florida. That includes plants AND animals. Like I said above, there are over seven hundred THOUSAND acres in Florida infested with this plant. They produce a canopy that’s so thick that it shades out all other plants, and its thicket is so dense that native animals can hardly move through it. It invades aquatic and dry habitats and reduces the quality of our native ecosystems.
Brazilian Peppertree Invades
This tree invades hammocks, pinelands, and mangroves and outcompetes any and all native plants around it. It’s an aggressive invader and hard to kill. The state of Florida is spending billions every year to try and control the brazilian peppertree. The seeds are widely spread in the excrement of birds and mammals, and also by water. The tree produces a prolific crop of fruit that many birds consume and then spread wherever they have flown. It produces a dense canopy that shades out all native plants.
Brazilian peppertree causes allergic reactions and respiratory illnesses in sensitive people due to volatiles released by the leaves, flowers, and fruits. Ingestion of the leaves and fruits can have narcotic and toxic effects in grazing animals and birds
Brazilian Peppertree Control
To start with, like anything, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of care. The public should avoid cultivating, transplanting, or promoting the proliferation of the brazilian pepper. Care should also be exercised to avoid the seed spread through the disposal of any trees you cut down. The sale and movement of this species is straight-up outlawed in Florida now. The number one way to suppress the tree is native plant cover. A thick canopy of Florida trees, for example, would stop the plant from getting the sun it needed to get going in the first place.
Then there’s the more old fashioned way of doing things. The entire plant must be destroyed if you decide to take something like an ax and shovel to it. The root system HAS to be removed. Roots as small as one fourth an inch in diameter and larger are able to resprout and produce new plants, so follow up from this method will be necessary. At the end of the day you can try fire but…I’d say don’t. Too risky, for obvious reasons. And even after a burn, they can resprout! As for biological methods, there aren’t really any.
Over two hundred insects have been identified that feed on Brazilian pepper-tree in its native land. Before any insect is released into the U.S. as biological control, it must be proven to be specific to the target pest, and non-harmful to native species. A sawfly and a thrips are currently under investigation at the University of Florida as potential biological control agents for Brazilian pepper-tree. The sawfly causes defoliation and the thrips feeds on the new shoot.
What To Do?
So, outside of just rolling up your sleeves and tackling the most invasive tree in Florida head-on, there’s not a ton of options for the layman when it comes to controlling this plant. And not only do you have to cut, trim, hack, and dig this plant down to the stump- but many places recommend that you douse that stump with herbicides. This can be a dangerous task. Both for you and your property.
That’s why you should make a call to a pest control company when you get the chance. That’s right, pest control! The word pest doesn’t just mean animals. Pest plants need good, quality pros to help you deal with them. And when you go out to find those pros, make sure to contact someone that uses natural methods of pest controls, as chemical pest and herbicides have been long since proven to be dangerous to your health.
