Pistacia lentiscus / Lentisco

Origin: Canary Islands, Morocco, the Mediterranean coasts.

Botanical characteristics: It is a bushy shrub, rarely a small tree, growing from 3 to 6 meters in height. It is a much-branched plant with thick and globose crown, having a resinous smell. The paripinnate compound leaves are composed of 2-5 pairs of elliptical or lanceolate leaflets. They have entire margins and are leathery, dark green, glossy on the upper surface and clearer below. It is a monoecious plant with male and female flowers in panicles of red-brown or yellow inconspicuous flowers. The fruit born is a spherical or ovoid drupe, 4-5 mm long, which is initially reddish and then black in autumn.

Agronomic and environmental characteristics: It grows spontaneously in central and southern Italy and is typical of the Mediterranean scrub, especially along the coastline. It is recommended to cultivate it on moderately fertile, well-drained soils with full sun exposure.

Use: It is suitable for dry areas and gardens in the marine zones and is usually used in groups and mixed hedges.