Mastic Tree
Latin Name: Pistacia lentiscus
Price range: $16.95 through $18.95
- Pot Size: 2 Inch, 4 Inch
- Hardiness Zone: Zone 9, Zone 10, Zone 11
Pistacia lentiscus, the mastic tree, is a dense evergreen shrub with glossy, olive-green leaves that give off a warm, resinous scent when brushed. Each leaf divides into several pairs of small, leathery leaflets, creating a fine, layered texture that holds all year. Those thick, tough leaves are built to survive hot, rainless Mediterranean summers, when many other plants pause or drop their foliage. On female plants, tiny spring flowers turn into clusters of round fruit that ripen from red to black. Young plants grow as low, rounded mounds, but older ones can be trained into small, multi-trunked trees.
Plant Details
Quick Information
- Latin Name: Pistacia lentiscus
- Plant Family: Anacardiaceae
- Common Names: Mastic Tree, Lentisk, Chios Mastic, Mastic
- Origin / Native Range: Mediterranean Basin, including southern Europe, North Africa, and the eastern Mediterranean
- Mature Height × Width: 12–20 ft × 12–20 ft
- Exposure Requirements: Full Sun
- Irrigation Requirements: Low
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 9–11
- Cold Hardiness: Approximately 15°F
- Bloom Time: Spring
- Bloom Color: Reddish (male), Greenish (female); inconspicuous
General Information
The mastic tree carries pinnately compound leaves, meaning each leaf is made of several leaflets arranged along a central stalk. There are usually three to five pairs of leaflets and no single leaflet at the tip. The stalk between them is flattened and slightly winged, and this small detail helps separate it from close relatives. New stems start out reddish and slowly fade to gray as they age. Left unpruned, the plant builds into a dense, rounded shrub, growing at a slow to moderate pace. Many gardeners remove the lower branches over time to reveal a short, multi-trunked tree. Female plants carry the real show. They bear small, round fruits called drupes – each holds one seed and ripens from red to glossy black.
In the wild, mastic grows in maquis, the dense evergreen shrubland that covers dry Mediterranean hillsides. Its leaves are sclerophyllous – hard, thick, and leathery. This lets the plant keep them through summers that pass with almost no rain. That same toughness makes it well-suited to full sun, reflected heat, and fast-draining rocky or alkaline soils. Once its roots are established, it needs very little water. The plant is dioecious, so male and female flowers grow on separate plants. Because it is wind-pollinated, its flowers stay tiny and plain – there is no need to attract insects with color. In the landscape, its dense growth works well as a clipped hedge, a screen, a windbreak, or a background shrub. One trade-off is patience: it grows slowly, and only female plants set fruit, usually when a male grows nearby.
Birds are central to the plant’s life. In its native range, more than two dozen species eat the ripe fruit and carry the seeds to new ground. Mastic belongs to the same genus as the pistachio, Pistacia vera, but it does not produce edible nuts. Its lasting fame comes instead from its sap. When the bark is scored, the plant weeps a fragrant resin that dries into hard, clear drops known as mastic. On the Greek island of Chios, growers have tapped this resin for thousands of years and still do today. People chew it like gum and use it to flavor breads, sweets, and drinks. The plant is not considered toxic, and its small fruits, though tart, are edible.
General Planting & Cultivation Information
Even drought-tolerant plants require regular watering until they are well established, good drainage is essential. If planting in containers, avoid pots without drainage holes.
Irrigate by watering deeply and then allowing the top several inches of soil to dry between waterings. This encourages the plant to send roots deep into the earth in search of moisture, helping it to become established, prevent root rot, build drought tolerance, and resilience to wind, heat, and cold.
The length of time between waterings will vary depending on your growing conditions and environment. Use a moisture meter for precise irrigation.
When planting, set the plant at the same depth as it was in its current container. For trees, ensure the top of the root flare is at soil level.
Young plants are vulnerable to harsh conditions, so consider growing them in larger containers until mature.
When planting in the ground, research the optimal planting season for your climate zone and protect young plants from frost.
To support establishment, consider creating a microclimate with nurse plants, shade, or wind protection. This can reduce stress, conserve soil moisture, and increase long-term success.
Protect the small, immature plants from rabbits and deer.
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