Can you identify these 2 local San Diego plants? (Orange: Home Depot, fence)

[djxpress]

I'm pretty sure the first one is some sort of mint, but not sure which kind. They have these huge roots, which makes them a pain to pull out by the root. They seem to grow unchecked and worse than anything I've seen. I'm trying to figure out the best way to get rid of them.

mint?
mint?

The second one is some sort of tree/bush but not sure what kind. A landscaper said "pepper" and said these grow unchecked too...but I googled pepper tree and this doesn't look anything like them. I'm sure someone here knows. Thanks for your help!

pepper tree?
pepper tree?

[DriveNotCommute]

The mint pictures:
The leaves in the second picture sort of resembles spearmint. I couldn't see very clearly from the first one. Does it have a minty smell?

Spearmint plants will have rough, bumpy-textured looking leaves with mildly serrated edges and have strong enough stems to grow into a standing bush. The peppermint plant that bought from Home Depot has smooth, small leaves and tends to be droopy in its pot.

The tree pictures:
I don't know what those are. The pepper trees that I've personally seen have a more willow-y look, with red colored peppercorns.
Schinus molle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[djxpress]

Originally Posted by DriveNotCommute

The mint pictures:
The leaves in the second picture sort of resembles spearmint. I couldn't see very clearly from the first one. Does it have a minty smell?

Not a minty smell, but a distinctive smell.

[oddstray]

DH works as a park attendant for the county. The park he works at has loads of pepper trees.

Your photos are too contrasty for him to identify them as the pepper trees he's familiar with. Last summer or autumn did they have clusters of small round things? If so, that is a pepper tree. They are non-native, typically from South America.

[LuvSouthOC]

Those are definitely not pepper trees. We are surrounded by them here in South Orange County and that's not what they look like.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Not a pepper tree. Not sure what that is but way too expansive.

[moved]

Also post the pictures in the garden forum. Someone on there may be able to identify them for you.

[BodegaHead]

Looks like Brazilian Pepper Tree, Schinus Terebinthifolius.

First one looks like spearmint.

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Originally Posted by BodegaHead

Looks like Brazilian Pepper Tree, Schinus Terebinthifolius.

First one looks like spearmint.

I concur, the bushes are young Brazilian Peppers, our canyon is full of them. They will grow to a height of about 12-15 ft (although we have one even taller) and their trunks get gnarly and interesting. Great climbing trees for kids. But you need to trim them and thin them out, otherwise they will become totally unmanageable.

[djxpress]

The spearmint plants grow around my yard like mad. I can't pull them up fast enough before more start growing! Maybe that why my dog likes eating them, because they're spearmint?

Those pepper trees are right up my hill, past my property line in a county easement. I would like them to grow a bit more as I really don't have a fence at the top of my hill and would like these trees to create a nice boundary/wall. Can I leave them without having to cut them back for a year or two?