Although the genus epithet is derived from the acrid taste of its bark, everything else about this impeccably tailored shrub is elegant and sweet. Native to Tasmania, Mountain Pepper spawns a striking composition of small lance-shaped lustrous dark greenery juxtaposed against wine-red stems, leaf buds and petioles. The tiny spherical black shiny berries, which follow petite greenish white flowers, plus the smooth thick evergreen foliage with paler undersides, deliver a spicy pepper-like taste savored in Australian cuisine. A swank botanical aristocrat for milder climates, Drimys lanceolata can grace a large container, forge a hedge or stand alone, preferring partial shade as well as rich evenly moist, well-drained soil.

Blooms May–June

Size: 6' 0" – 10' 0" high x 4' 0" – 8' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 8.