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Harmless🍽️ Edible💊 Medicinal

🌿 Mastic tree

Pistacia lentiscus · Anacardiaceae

🫒 Mediterranean
🧠 To remember it“Lentiscus no end, the leaf stops dead” — the absence of a terminal leaflet at the top of the rachis reliably distinguishes the mastic tree from the terebinth.
Mastic tree — Pistacia lentiscus

🔍 Identify it without mistakes

Dense evergreen shrub, 1 to 3 m, with pinnately compound leaves lacking a terminal leaflet (winged rachis ending in a point), leathery glossy leaflets giving off a strong resinous smell when crushed. Small petal-less reddish flowers in spring, followed by small round fruits turning from red to black. Incised bark exudes a fragrant resin, mastic.

  1. pinnately compound leaves WITHOUT a terminal leaflet (winged rachis ending in a point)
  2. strong resinous smell when crushed
  3. small round fruits, red then black in clusters
  4. dense bushy habit typical of low maquis
Size1-3 m
FloweringMarch-May
HabitatLow maquis and garrigue of the Mediterranean basin, highly resistant to drought and sea spray

⚠️ Not to be confused with

Terebinth (Pistacia terebinthus)none (edible as well, turpentine resin)

To tell them apart: deciduous leaves with a terminal leaflet present, larger and less glossy leaflets

🍽️ Eating it

Partsresin (mastic), young shoots
Seasonsummer (harvesting resin by incising the bark)
Tasteresin: woody, slightly pine-like, refreshing on the palate

Preparation : The hardened resin (Chios mastic) is chewed as is or flavors drinks and pastries; tender young shoots can be added raw in small quantities to wild salads

💊 Healing with it

Traditionally digestive and gastric-healing (Chios mastic, documented antibacterial properties against Helicobacter pylori)

Level of evidence : limited studies — Mediterranean ethnobotanical literature, Greek tradition of Chios

⚠️ No major contraindications at traditional food doses

🪓 Other bushcraft uses

  • mastic chewed as a natural gum and varnish (paints, historical dentistry)
  • hard wood for small tools
Sources (2)

No entry replaces a certain identification in the field, or medical advice. When in doubt: don't eat it. If ingestion is suspected: poison control or 112/911.