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Pistacio Nut Tree (Pistacia vera)

This member of the genus Pistacia reaches maximum 10 m and has got long-stalked leaves consisting of 3-5 leaflets. It blossoms in April and May and the fruit is 1-2 cm long, with the outer case when ripe splitting open to expose the seed inside. Fruit sold in this country is either imported or has been grown on trees grafted on to the stocks of Pistacia terebinthus.

Scattered specimens occur near Lapta, in Alsancak and below the Armenian Monastery at Alevkaya. There are also plantations near Ziyamet in the Karpaz. Although the specimen is native to Iran and Central Asia, it is widely cultivated throughout the whole Mediterranean.

Citrus trees

Deeply rooted in the history of Cyprus, citrus fruit have a special place in the nature and life of Cyprus. Orange, lemon, mandarin, sour orange - it all make the traditional quatrain.

From the motherland of the citrus fruit, China, citrus fruit was first taken in the 11th century by Arab merchants and was firstly brought to India and just then shipped to the Mediterranean. From there, especially Italian and Spanish seamen spread it further to the American continent and to South Africa, where it easily adapted to the climate.

The citrus fruit turned out to be the crucial export product in particular at the end of the 1960’s. However, before reaching this milestone, trees of lemon, orange and sour orange (these are mostly included in Cyprus cuisine) were cultivated at nearly every house and the families tried to meet their needs for citrus fruit in this manner. Although widely available, most Turkish Cypriots have one lemon, one orange or one sour orange tree in their house gardens.

Among the citrus fruit it is especially orange which is most suitable to be eaten as a fruit, and is the second most consumed fruit worldwide after an apple. Often entitled as “golden apple” in ancient times, orange has a wide number of varieties in Cyprus, among which such as Jaffa, Washington or Valencia which are the best-known and most consumed species of orange. “Sweet orange” is, however, most often eaten in Cyprus. Many Cypriot parents assert that their children should eat oranges during winter to protect them from influenza and colds. Freshly squeezed orange juice has become a phenomenon of healthy breakfast and it is also highly demanded in the hotels and restaurants, and much consumed among the local people as well.

Lemon is sure to be present at every meal in Cyprus, as most food is eaten with the addition of lemon drops. Sour orange is not eaten fresh because of its bitter taste, but it is in a way unique in the world. Its peel is used to manufacture a preserve or sweet known as “macun” in Cyprus. It is served with a glass of cold water to the valued guests. “Sour orange preserve” has been regarded as an important guest-offering product ever since the Lusignan era, and although similar preserves are also made from peel of orange and grapefruit, sour orange preserve is different and more important in Cyprus. Lemonade-type refreshments are all provided with the citrus fruit during the hot summer months.

Citrus fruit presents one of the most exportable items of Cyprus. Because of its place in local cuisine and its leading position among the exports, the citrus fruit carries a great significance for the Cypriots. It has also become an important symbol when promoting North Cyprus. “Orange” has been one of the images used in the promotional material. A traditional orange festival takes place annually in Gűzelyurt, which is one of the main citrus growing regions and it is the way of appreciation the fruit and recognition of its meaningful importance.