Pistacia lentiscus

Mastic; Evergreen Pistache

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What is Mastic and Where Does It Grow?

Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus), also called Evergreen Pistache, grows naturally throughout the Mediterranean basin from Spain and Morocco east to Greece and Turkey. This evergreen shrub or small tree thrives in USDA hardiness zones 8 through 11, tolerating winter temperatures down to 15°F. The species adapts to coastal and inland conditions from sea level to 4,000 feet elevation. Mastic performs exceptionally well in hot, dry climates including the American Southwest where Mediterranean-climate plants succeed. Landscape architects select Mastic for projects requiring evergreen structure, drought tolerance, and adaptability to poor soils and coastal conditions.

How Big Does Mastic Get?

Mastic typically grows 6 to 15 feet tall and 8 to 12 feet wide when maintained as a large shrub. When trained as a small tree, it can reach 15 to 25 feet tall with a 12 to 15-foot spread. The plant develops dense, rounded to spreading form with multiple stems or can be pruned to single or multi-trunk tree structure. Dark green, glossy compound leaves with 4 to 10 leaflets create fine-textured evergreen foliage year-round. Leaves measure 2 to 4 inches long and emit a pleasant resinous fragrance when crushed. The gnarled, gray-brown bark adds character with age.

When Does Mastic Bloom?

Small greenish-yellow flowers appear in spring, typically March through May, though the blooms are inconspicuous and not ornamentally significant. Male and female flowers grow on separate plants (dioecious), so both sexes are needed for fruit production. Female plants produce small round berries that ripen from green to red to dark purple-black from summer through fall. The 0.25-inch berries provide seasonal interest and wildlife value but are not edible for humans.

What Are the Sunlight and Water Needs?

Mastic requires full sun to partial shade, performing best with 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily. The plant tolerates coastal conditions including salt spray and wind exposure. During establishment (first 2 to 3 years), water deeply every 2 to 3 weeks during the growing season. Once established, Mastic survives on natural rainfall in most climates, typically 12 to 20 inches annually. Supplemental irrigation during extended summer drought maintains optimal appearance. The plant tolerates significant drought once mature but looks fuller with occasional deep watering.

How Fast Does Mastic Grow?

This species grows at a moderate rate, typically adding 12 to 18 inches per year under favorable conditions. Young plants establish steadily, reaching landscape presence within 3 to 5 years as shrubs or 5 to 7 years as trees. The moderate growth rate produces dense branching and full foliage coverage. Mature specimens continue filling in over 10 to 15 years, creating permanent landscape structure.

What Wildlife Uses Mastic?

Birds including mockingbirds, thrashers, and cedar waxwings eat the ripe berries, dispersing seeds throughout the landscape. The dense evergreen foliage provides year-round nesting sites and shelter for small birds. Native bees and other insects visit the spring flowers for pollen. The foliage shelters beneficial insects and small lizards. By planting female specimens (or mixed male and female), landscape architects create habitat that supports resident and migratory bird populations.

What Soil Conditions Does It Need?

Mastic adapts to most well-drained soils including sandy, rocky, gravelly, and clay loam substrates. The species tolerates soil pH from 6.5 to 8.5, handling both slightly acidic and alkaline conditions. Good drainage is important, though Mastic tolerates heavier soils better than many Mediterranean plants. The plant grows successfully in poor, unamended soils without fertilizer and tolerates salt-affected soils common in coastal areas. Mastic also handles compacted soils reasonably well, making it suitable for urban conditions.
What Challenges Should Designers Consider?

Mastic can produce volunteer seedlings from bird-dispersed seeds, requiring occasional removal in maintained landscapes. Specify male plants only if seedling management is a concern, though this eliminates the ornamental berries and wildlife food value. The plant responds vigorously to pruning and can become leggy if not shaped regularly. Establish a pruning program to maintain desired form, whether as hedge, shrub, or tree. Verticillium wilt occasionally affects Mastic in poorly drained soils or areas with infected soil. Pests and diseases are otherwise minimal. The resinous sap can be sticky on pruning tools.

What is the Cultural Significance?

Mediterranean cultures have harvested Mastic resin (called mastic gum) for over 2,500 years, particularly from the Greek island of Chios where production continues today. Ancient Greeks and Romans used the aromatic resin in medicine, varnishes, and as a chewing gum. The resin served as a base for early varnishes and continues in specialized applications including high-end varnishes and traditional medicines. While resin harvest is not practical in landscape applications, this cultural heritage adds depth to designs incorporating Mediterranean themes and historical plant use.

How Do You Use Mastic in Landscape Design?

Plant Mastic as an evergreen hedge, screen, or windbreak in coastal and inland landscapes. The dense foliage provides year-round privacy when spaced 4 to 6 feet apart for hedges or 6 to 8 feet apart for informal screens. Train as a small multi-trunk tree for patios, courtyards, and residential landscapes where evergreen structure and moderate size are desired. Use as an understory tree beneath larger canopy trees or as a midlayer plant in naturalistic Mediterranean gardens. The species works effectively in parking lot islands, median plantings, and commercial landscapes. Combine with other Mediterranean plants including rosemary, lavender, Jerusalem sage, and rockrose for authentic regional character. Space individual specimens 10 to 12 feet apart for natural development.

Why Choose Mastic for Your Project?

This Mediterranean native delivers year-round evergreen foliage with proven drought tolerance and adaptability to challenging conditions. The versatility as hedge, screen, shrub, or small tree makes Mastic valuable across diverse landscape applications. The plant tolerates coastal salt spray, urban pollution, poor soils, and reflected heat while requiring minimal maintenance after establishment. Wildlife value from berries and nesting sites enhances ecological function. For landscape architects working on Mediterranean-inspired designs, coastal landscapes, or drought-tolerant projects requiring evergreen structure, Mastic offers reliable performance in USDA zones 8 through 11 with minimal inputs and maximum flexibility.

FAMILY

Anacardiaceae

MATURE HEIGHT

20 to 30 ft

GROWTH HABIT

Pistacia lentiscus exhibits a versatile and slow to moderate growth habit, typically presenting as a dense, evergreen, mounding shrub. It is a tough, Mediterranean native species that can be pruned and trained to grow as a small, single or multi-trunked tree. It thrives in full sun and well-drained soils, developing a strong, deep, and wide root system that helps it tolerate significant heat and drought. The plant is a very branched species with aromatic, leathery, dark green leaves and reddish young stems that turn gray with age.

WATER REQUIREMENT

Drought Tolerant

HARDY TO

18°F

NATIVE REGION

Mediterranean

TYPE

Tree

SOIL TYPE

Pistacia lentiscus is highly adaptable but thrives best in well-drained, dry, or even rocky soils. The plant shows no specific preference for soil texture, growing well in sandy, loamy, and clay soils, provided they offer good drainage to prevent root rot. It is very tolerant of a wide pH range, flourishing in neutral, mildly acidic, and especially alkaline (calcareous) soils, and is also known for its high salt tolerance, making it suitable for coastal and saline environments. This species grows optimally in soils with moderate to low fertility, requiring little to no fertilization.

MAINTENACE TIPS

Maintenance requirements for this tough, low-care plant are minimal, as it is highly drought-tolerant once established. For a newly planted tree, water regularly during the first growing season to establish a strong root system. After establishment, deep water infrequently—every one to four weeks in summer and less often in winter, allowing the soil to dry out between waterings. Fertilization is generally unnecessary, as the plant can thrive in low-nutrient soil, but a balanced, slow-release fertilizer can be applied sparingly in the spring if desired. The plant is also resistant to most pests and diseases.

ELEVATION

to 6500 feet

15 to 25 ft

MATURE WIDTH

LEAF SHAPE

The Pistacia lentiscus has a distinctive evergreen, paripinnately compound leaf, meaning it has an even number of leaflets and lacks a single terminal leaflet. The leaves are alternate, leathery (coriaceous), and dark green, typically measuring about 4 inches long and divided into three to five pairs of small, oval-shaped leaflets. A key characteristic is the flattened, or "winged," central stalk (rachis) that runs between the pairs of leaflets. The foliage is also notably aromatic when bruised.

FLOWER COLOR

Inconspicuous, but typically green with reddish anthers

FLOWER CHARACTERISTICS

Pistacia lentiscus produces very small, inconspicuous, and apetalous (lacking petals) flowers. The plant is dioecious, meaning male and female flowers grow on separate individuals. The male flowers are reddish and feature five stamens, while the female flowers are greenish and have a 3-part style. These tiny flowers are arranged in dense, spike-like clusters (panicles) in the leaf axils during the spring and are primarily wind-pollinated. After successful pollination, the female flowers develop into small, inedible drupes that start red and mature to black when ripe.

FRUIT/SEED

The fruit of the Pistacia lentiscus is a small, rounded or globular drupe, which is a fleshy fruit type similar to a cherry or olive. These fruits appear in clusters on female plants, starting as bright green and then ripening to red, before eventually turning black when fully mature in the fall. The fruits are quite small, typically about 4 millimeters (0.16 inches) in diameter. Each drupe contains a single seed, enclosed within a hard shell (endocarp), though a thin layer of untasty flesh covers this shell. While technically edible, the fruit is not commonly consumed by humans, though the seed contains oil. The plant is dioecious, meaning both male and female plants must be present for fruit and seed production, with seed viability varying by location.

SUN EXPOSURE

Full Sun

POLLINATORS

Pistacia lentiscus is a dioecious species, meaning it has separate male and female plants, and its pollination is primarily achieved by wind, not insects. The flowers are inconspicuous and lack petals or strong scents that typically attract pollinators, with pollen dispersed by air currents from male to female trees. In the ecosystem, this hardy plant provides crucial food and habitat for various wildlife, particularly birds. Birds consume the small, fleshy berries, which ripen from bright red to black, and subsequently aid in seed dispersal, making the mastic tree a significant pioneer species in Mediterranean environments. The leaves also serve as food for herbivores like caterpillars, and the plant's dense structure offers nesting and protective cover for fauna within the Mediterranean mixed communities where it thrives.

PRUNING TIPS

Pruning is primarily for shaping and structure, as the plant naturally grows as a large, spreading shrub. Perform all pruning during the winter dormant season to avoid damage. Begin by removing any dead, damaged, or diseased branches. You can train it into a single-stemmed tree or a multi-trunked form by either pruning away base shoots (suckers) or allowing some to remain. To achieve a fuller, bushier look, lightly trim the outer branches, but severe pruning to shape is not generally recommended. Disinfect pruning tools between cuts to prevent the spread of any potential diseases.