Ventura County Landmark No. 72: Pepper Trees along High Street
Historical Background
The California pepper trees (Schinus molle) along East High Street in Moorpark were first planted around 1900 by Robert Poindexter, one of the community’s early founders (City of Moorpark, 2006). Later plantings by residents such as John Nubee and John Barrett expanded the grove to an estimated fifty trees (City of Moorpark, 2006). Although the original number of trees is unknown, by 2006 approximately forty‑nine to fifty‑two pepper trees were documented along the street (City of Moorpark, 2006). Over time, some trees were lost to disease or age, and replacements were planted to preserve the historic boulevard setting (City of Moorpark, 2006).
Maintenance
In 2006, the City of Moorpark adopted a maintenance plan for the California pepper trees along High Street (City of Moorpark, 2006). The plan evaluated the health, condition, and placement of each tree and provided recommendations for pruning, risk mitigation, and replacement when necessary (City of Moorpark, 2006). The purpose of the plan was to ensure the long term care of the historic grove while minimizing hazards to people and property due to aging trees within the public right of way (City of Moorpark, 2006).
References
City of Moorpark. (2006). California Pepper Trees Maintenance Plan: High Street, Moorpark, California. https://moorparkca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3710/2006-Maintenance-Plan
Date Designated: October 1981
Location: Along High Street, approximately from Walnut Street to Magnolia Avenue, Moorpark
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