What is the…
terebinth
also known as: turpentine tree
This is the Pistacia terebinthus, a deciduous flowering shrub. “All parts of the plant have a strong resinous smell.”
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It is very common in the south and east of Israel. Its reddish-purple flowers appear in early spring, which later mature into a pea-sized fruit.
It is mentioned in Isaiah 6:13 and Hosea 4:13.
Terebinth was used for medicinal purposes by the Greeks. The resin was used as a wine preservative throughout the Middle East. In Cyprus, the fruits are used in baking a special bread. Kurds use the fruit in a beverage. In Crete, it is used to flavor a local brandy called tsikoudia. Some still use the plants shoots as a vegetable. A sweet scented gum is produced from the bark. Leather makers have used the shrub’s galls in tanning. The plant’s oil is used to make soap. The wood was also used by craftsmen.
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