Peruanischer Pfefferbaum

Landscape Uses:Specimen. Prefers a well-drained soil in full sun. It likes growing in sandy soils and succeeds in a hot dry position. A fast-growing tree in its native habitat, though it is likely to be much slower in areas where it is marginally hardy[K]. This species is not very hardy outdoors in Britain, though it can succeed when grown against a sunny wall in the milder areas of the country. The oily leaves smell and taste of pepper when they are crushed. Dioecious, male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. Special Features: Not North American native, Naturalizing, Attractive flowers or blooms.

Edible Parts: Fruit Inner bark Oil Stem Edible Uses: Condiment Drink Gum Oil The dried and roasted berries are used as a pepper substitute. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity. An (essential?) oil distilled from the fruit is used as a spice in baked goods and candy. The fruits are pulverised and used in cooling drinks called 'horchatas' in S. America. A wine is made from the twigs and another from the berries. A gum that exudes from the bark is used for chewing.

Gum Miscellany Oil An oil from the leaves reduces the surface tension of water.

Heimisch: Argentina Northeast, BR, Bello - Comuna 03, Boyacá, municipio de Iza, mina de Puzolana, Brazil South, Caribbean, Chile North, Chía, vereda Yerbabuena, Sede del Instituto Caro y Cuervo, GR, Global, JO, Manizales, North America, Oceania, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal [I]; Spain [I]; Gibraltar [I]; Baleares [I]; Italy [I]; Sicily [I]; Croatia [I]; Morocco [I]; Algeria [I]; Tunisia [I]; Libya [I]; Madeira [I] (Madeira Isl. [I]); Canary Isl. [I] (Lanzarote [I], Fuerteventura [I], Gran Canaria [I], Gomera [I], Tenerife [I]); Guinea [I]; Angola [I]; Namibia [I]; Botswana [I]; South Africa [I]; Ascension Isl. [I]; St. Helena [I]; East Aegaean Isl. [I] (Rhodos [I]); Afghanistan [I]; Lebanon [I]; Syria [I]; Israel [I]; Jordania [I]; Pakistan [I]; Myanmar [I]; Vietnam [I]; Java [I]; New Zealand [I]; Hawaii [I] (East Maui [I], Hawaii Isl. [I]); USA [I] (California [I], Florida [I], Texas [I]); Mexico [I] (widespread); Honduras [I]; Nicaragua [I]; Costa Rica [I]; Cuba [I]; Puerto Rico [I]; Venezuela [I]; Ecuador; Peru; SE-Brazil (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro); S-Brazil (Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul); Paraguay (Caaguazu, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones); Uruguay (Artigas, Cerro Largo, Lavalleja, Paysandu, Rivera, Rocha, Salto, Tacuarembo, Treinta y Tres); Argentina (Corrientes, Entre Rios, Misiones, Santa Fe), TR, Uruguay Eingeführt: AO, AR, AU, Algeria, Angola, Ascension, BW, Botswana, CD, CU, Canary Is., Cape Provinces, Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, EC, ES, East Africa, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Free State, GN, Galápagos Islands, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, HR, Hawaii, IL, IQ, IT, Iraq, Israel, Italy, LY, Libya, MX, Madeira, Malta, Mexico Central, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest, Mexico Southwest, Morocco, NA, Northern Provinces, PT, Pakistan, Palestine, Portugal, Puerto Rico, RW, Sardegna, Sardegna (Sardinia), Senegal, Sicilia, Somalia, Spain, St.Helena, TR, Tunisia, Yemen