lentisco, lentisk, mastic, mastic resin plant, mastic tree
About this plant
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
Growing Information
Height
2.5-4 Metres
Spread
2.5-4 Metres
Care Guide
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 loam-based potting compost with added sharp sand, in full light. Sap of this plant is used to produce mastic
Pruning
Pruning group 1; restrictive pruning may be required if grown under glass