Pistacia terebinthus aka Cyprus Turpentine

Pistacia terebinthus, the turpentine tree, belongs to the cashew family, Anacardiaceae. It grows as a shrub or a small deciduous tree. Its native range spans the Mediterranean region. This includes southern Europe, North Africa, and parts of western Asia. It grows in dry, open woods and scrub. These sites often have lime-rich soil. The species is not native to Britain or Ireland.

Growth is slow, with a reported height of 30 feet [9 metres]. Its spread can reach about 20 feet [6 metres]. The leaves fall each year. Flowering runs from May to July, with seeds ripening in October and November. Male and female flowers grow on separate plants. Both sexes must grow nearby to produce seeds. Each small fruit holds one seed. The fruit measures about 0.28 inches long and 0.24 inches wide.

Give this tree full sun and a warm, dry site. It cannot grow in shade. It needs deep, well-drained soil and favours sandy or stony ground. Loam also suits it. It accepts mildly acid, neutral, and alkaline soils, including very alkaline ground. Soil may be dry or moist, but drainage matters. A sunny woodland edge offers one possible garden setting. Carry out any needed pruning in spring.

Published hardiness reports do not fully agree. Plants for a Future lists USDA zones 8–11. Its notes also include conflicting claims about frost tolerance in Britain. Young plants may need winter protection during their first outdoor years. Seeds can germinate slowly and unevenly. Grow seedlings under glass through at least their first winter. Cuttings from young trees and layering provide other ways to raise plants. Aphids can cause galls on the leaves.

The seeds are edible raw or cooked and yield edible oil. People preserve young fruits and their stems in salt and vinegar. Cooked young leaves serve as a vegetable. Resin also has food uses, including chewing gum. Cuts in the bark yield the resin called Cyprus turpentine. Other uses include tannin, dye from leaf galls, and rootstock for pistachio. The resin has a history of medicinal use. These records do not establish that treatments work. Plants for a Future reports no known hazards. That does not establish safety for every person or pet.