Common Name:

General Information

Pistacia eurycarpa is a deciduous shrub or a small tree, usually growing up to 5 metres tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. The fruits are sold for food on a large scale in local markets, and the gum is also sold in some areas for its medicinal uses[, ].
Pistacia eurycarpa appears to have a stable population due to its relatively widespread distribution in temperate Asia and being one of the most common Pistacia species in Turkey. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2016)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Asia - Turkey, Syria, Armenia, Irag, Iran, Afghanisan, northern Pakistan

Habitat

Rocky or stony slopes (shale or limestone) and in deciduous oak thickets; at elevations from 1,100 - 1,800 metres[, ].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	4.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Pistacia species generally grow best in a sunny position in a deep, well-drained soil preferably of a light texture[].

Edible Uses

The leaves are cooked into a chewing gum[]
A chewing gum is made from the fresh gummy exudate that is obtained from the crushed stems. This exudate is boiled in water and the water is then discarded in order to obtain the chewing gum[].

Fruit[]. The bright red fruits are around 7mm long and 8mm wide[].
The young, immature fruits are eaten fresh before the stony endocarp (inner fruit wall) hardens[].
The mature fruits are salted and the seeds are eaten[]
The fresh or dried fruits of Pistacia eurycarpa are used as a condiment mixed with yogurt[].
This species is rich in fat, containing high levels of fatty acids[].

Medicinal

The leaves are used to brew a medicinal tea[]

The freshly crushed stems exude a bitter oleo-gum resin that is used to treat gastrointestinal problems, gastric ulcers, diarrhoea, poor appetite, catarrhal inflammation, dry cough, hypertension, cancer, and diabetes[].
The gum-resin is used as a traditional remedy for skin diseases, as well as being a treatment for burns and scalds[]. A mixture of this gum, combined with finely shreded soap made from pistacia oil, is used as a dressing to clean old wounds or to erupt boils[].

A tea made from the dried fruit is used as anti-diarrheal medicine[].

Plant extracts have been shown to have antifungal and antimicrobial effects[].

Other Uses

The fruits are drilled to create worry beads[].
The dry ripe fruits of Pistacia eurycarpa are bored from two opposite ends and converted into necklaces and prayer worry beads[].

Oil extracts from this plant are used in some cosmetic soaps[].

Pistacia eurycarpa belongs to the secondary Gene Pool of Pistachio (Pistacia vera), and so it has the potential for use as a gene donor for crop improvement[].

Propagation

Pre-soak the seed for 16 hours in alkalized water[], or for 3 - 4 days in warm water[], and sow late winter in a cold frame or greenhouse[, ]. Two months cold stratification may speed up germination, so it might be better to sow the seed in early winter[]. The germination is variable and can be slow. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow on the plants for at least their first winter in a greenhouse. Plant out into their permanent positions in early summer and consider giving some protection from winter cold for their first year or two outdoors[].
Cuttings of half-ripe wood from juvenile trees, July in a frame[].
Layering.