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| Brazilian Pepper? |
This evening The dog and I walked down the dirt road to the spot where we saw the snapping turtle yesterday. It was a little warmer as a tropical system has moved through the area bringing heat and moisture up from the Gulf of Mexico. When we arrived at the end of the road I decided to take some photos of a plant I believe to be Brazilian Pepper. About 2 years ago I described this plant to my brother and he identified it as Brazilian Pepper which he told me is an invasive species. I have since spoken to the land owner and they have assured me that it is only holly and that it is no problem. The fact that it is mistaken for holly is one avenue the plant has used to wipe out other plant species in south Florida. Folks down there have apparently used the plants leaves and berries in Christmas decoration then when the holidays are over they are discarded into the trash. The berries from the decorations germinate in the landfill and the berries from the landfill plants are spread by birds in the surrounding woods. The Brazilian Pepper's leaves can prevent other plant's seeds from germinating and in a short period of time when the remaining adult native plants die the only plant left will be the Pepper. I am not sure if the plant can duplicate the success it had in Florida, here in our area where it is colder in the winter. All I can say is the plant I have been observing has multiplied itself about 5 time in the last couple of years so it appears the plant has acclimated itself to our climate. This area has known several invasive species over the years and they have changed the look of the land forever. We have the Chinese tallow known here as the Popcorn tree. We also have Cogan grass known here as Jap grass. Both of these came in the holds of ships that arrived in our ports. The lesson in all this is that we should think about it a little before we take a plant or seeds from one place to another. Thanks for reading my blog tonight. Have a good evening.
