Description

An evergreen tree that grows 25-40 feet tall with rough, twisted, dark gray bark and a wide weeping habit, spreading as wide as tall. It has bright green, pinnately compound leaves that are 5 to 12 inches long with many 1 to 2 inch-long narrow leaflets. The 1/8 inch wide fragrant whitish-yellow flowers bloom in branched pendulous panicles in summer and female trees (it is dioecious with male and female flowers on separate trees) producing 1/3-inch-wide red berries in the fall into winter. Plant in full sun and irrigate very little or not at all. It is hardy to around 10°F but in temps much below 20°F the foliage freezes then turns brown but new green growth quickly appears in the spring. This tree tolerates many adverse conditions, like poor soil, smog, wind, drought and moderate frosts but the oils in the leaf litter from this tree deter understory growth, making it difficult to grow other plants beneath the canopy. Attracts birds and butterflies. Fruit may be poisonous to poultry, pigs, calves and children. Considered potentially invasive by the CA Invasive Plant Council.