Atlantic pistachio
Pistacia atlantica
Family: Anacardiaceae
What it is like
It is like Terebinth. A small deciduous tree. It grows 5-10 m high. The leaves have hairy stalks. The leaf stalk has narrow wings. The leaflets are sword shaped. The fruit are fleshy and 5-7 mm long by 4-6 mm wide. They are oval.
There are 9-11 Pistacia species. Biblical references Genesis 35:4; Joshua 24:26; 2 Samuel 18:9, 14;
Where it is found
They suit dry Mediterranean regions. It grows in rocky places and open woodland. It cannot tolerate frost. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall of 50-800 mm. It suits arid places. It can grow in arid places. In Brisbane Botanical Gardens.
Countries/locations it is found in
Afghanistan, Africa, Algeria, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Britain, Canary Islands, Caucasus, Central Asia, Colombia, Cyprus, Egypt - Sinai, Europe, Greece, Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Mediterranean, Middle East, Morocco, North Africa, Pakistan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sinai, Slovenia, South America, Spain - Canary Islands, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Türkiye, Ukraine
How it is used for food
The fruit are eaten raw. The dried fruit are added to parched wheat. The nuts are crushed to produce an edible oil. The seeds are pounded and mixed with pounded dates.
Edible parts
Nuts, fruit, seeds
How it is grown
Trees can be grown from seed.
It grows slowly.
Its other names
Local names
Almacigo, Atlantic terebinth, Betoum, Botum, Butum, Halibah, Mastic tree, Mt Atlas pistache, Teil tree