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Pistacia lentiscus

mastic tree

A tender evergreen shrub or small tree, up to 3m high, with pinnate, aromatic, leathery green leaves divided into up to 7 pairs of leaflets. Small flowers are produced in late spring and early summer; on male plants these are reddish and held in small dense clusters, female plants have looser clusters of brownish green flowers. If pollinated, these are followed on by small round reddish fruits that ripen to black

Other common names

lentisco
lentisk
see moremastic
mastic resin plant
mastic tree

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Ultimate height

2.5–4 metres

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

2.5–4 metres

Chalk

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Drought resistance

Yes

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Anacardiaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Genus: A genus of 10 to 20 species of flowering shrubs and small trees in the cashew family, the most well known being pistachio which is grown for its edible seeds
Name status: Correct
Plant range: Mediterranean

How to grow

Cultivation

In mild, frost-free areas, may be grown outdoors in moderately fertile, sharply drained soil in a sunny, sheltered spot; plants may need winter protection. In colder areas, grow under glass or in containers that can be moved indoors over winter, in a peat-free, loam-based potting compost with added sharp sand, in full light. Sap of this plant is used to produce mastic

Propagation

Propagate by seed or by softwood cuttings in late spring or early summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Coastal
Mediterranean climate plants
Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

Pruning group 1; restrictive pruning may be required if grown under glass

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to fungal root rot

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