Re: Schinus terebinthifolius

It makes a very attractive street tree in San Francisco, where it tolerates little water, being surrounded by concrete, cold winds and fog, and looks good all year round.  I haven't seen it reseed itself around here locally, and think it is well adapted for use as a street tree.  I have seen it resprout from cut roots, but is not nearly as bad at forming groves as the Maytenus boaria tree is, which doesn't get all the bad press.  It would seem to be the most invasive where it gets warm summers in combination with summer rains, but doesn't seem to reseed itself in irrigated northern California gardens, and certainly less so than other evergreen trees such as Pittosporum undulatum, Eriobotrya japonica and Ligustrum lucidum.  I think the tree does have its uses in the right spot, as it can take difficult conditions and still look good.


--- On Sun, 2/22/09, Catherine Ratner <tactar@verizon.net> wrote:

> From: Catherine Ratner <tactar@verizon.net>
> Subject: Re: Schinus terebinthifolius
> To: "medit-plants Plants" <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>, elischer@iinet.net.au
> Date: Sunday, February 22, 2009, 2:18 PM
> Mature trees are also difficult to get rid of.  I cut down
> one and it revenged itself by sending up copious root shoots
> up to twenty feet away.
> 
> Cathy
> On Feb 21, 2009, at 11:04 PM, Beverly Elischer wrote:
> 
> > N Sterman wrote:
> > 
> >> Did anyone respond to you Pamela?  If not,
> here's the poop - in  California, it is extremely
> invasive and problematic in the garden.   Roots are right at
> the surface so you can't grow anything under or  near
> it.  Drops leaves like crazy.  Needs constant pruning.  Just
> a  big pain in the patoot.  Nice looking, but not worth the
> trouble.
> >> 
> >> Nan
> >> 
> >> On Feb 19, 2009, at 3:30 AM, Pamela Steele wrote:
> >> 
> >>> Has anyone in the Med countries had experience
> (good or bad ) of  Schinus terebinthifolius.  I would like
> to plant one but I am  reading a lot negative comments
> (invasiveness etc)  especially from  California/Florida. 
> Plants don't appear to become invasive here  (Costa
> Blanca).
> >>> Pamela
> >> 
> >> 
> >> 
> > In Western Australia it's proscribed as a weed for
> the same reasons .....
> > 
> > Beverly
> >
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