Photo: Diane Edwardson, December 1, 2011. Last week's windstorm stripped all the peppercorns, most of the leaves and many small branches from my neighbors' 3 huge Peruvian Pepper Trees (Schinus molle). (Click on photo to enlarge.)
We had at least an inch deep worth of peppercorns covering the yard up to 100' from the trees. One of the trees is at least 40' tall and was so heavy with leaves and peppers, you could not see much daylight through the tree prior to the windstorm. Suddenly there's a whole lot more light in our backyard. Our yard and my dog both have a sweet peppery smell now.
Cal Flora says it may cause dermatitis, yet the peppercorns are edible and have a variety of uses according to Wikipedia.
Disclaimer: The Corralitas Red Car Property Blog prefers to quote reliable sources, such as Calflora and California Poison Control, on the issue of toxicity. We often get email suggesting some plants are edible. If you are eating your way through the Red Car Property, we DO NOT recommend you eat any plant you find in the Red Car Property neighborhood without first doing your own research.
