 The Brazilian pepper was brought to Florida in 1598 as an ornamental plant and eventually became invasive in the area where it is often referred to as "Florida Holly".In 1982, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the import of Brazilian peppercorns from France into the United States, asserting that people who eat the berries risk an array of acute symptoms, such as swollen eyelids and indigestion, similar to poison ivy.In response, the Government of France maintained that the berries are safe to eat if grown in prescribed conditions.