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Key characteristics

Family: Winteraceae
Height: 10 ft to 15 ft
Width: 6 ft to 10 ft
Flower color: Small creamy white to pale yellow flowers with a soft clustered appearance
Foliage color: Glossy deep green leaves with reddish stems and aromatic peppery fragrance
Bloom time: Late spring to early summer
Light: Partial shade to full sun in cooler climates
Water: Moderate
Maintenance: Low; prune lightly to shape and remove any dead or damaged wood
Growing zone: USDA zones 7 to 10
Wildlife: Pollinators attracted to flowers and birds attracted to dark berries

Shrubs

Tasmannia lanceolata

Mountain Pepper

Tasmannia lanceolata produces small, creamy white flowers in late spring to early summer, appearing in clusters along the stems and followed by glossy dark berries. Lance-shaped leaves are deep green with a smooth, leathery texture, often flushed with reddish tones on new growth and along the stems. When crushed, the foliage releases a distinctive peppery aroma, and the plant develops a dense, upright structure that carries both flowers and fruit through the season.

Light

Partial shade to full sun in cooler climates

Water

Moderate

Bloom time

Late spring to early summer

Find this plant

Companion plants

Hydrangea · Viburnum · Pulmonaria · Japanese forest grass · Wood sorrel · Epimedium

Design tip

Draw attention to Mountain Pepper’s year-round foliage by using it as an evergreen anchor in a layered planting. Its narrow, deep green leaves and reddish stems add fine texture and subtle color even when flowers and berries are absent.