The Palestine terebinth or turpentine tree (Pistacia terebinthus) is a large tree that sheds its leaves seasonally (Isaiah 6:13; Hosea 4:13). It has spreading branches that grow in different directions. In winter, without its leaves, it looks very similar to an oak tree. This tree grows from 3.7 to 7.6 meters (12 to 25 feet) tall. Every part of the tree contains a sweet-smelling, sticky juice called resin. The fruit of the terebinth is a small reddish or bluish drupe (a type of fruit with a single seed inside, like an olive or cherry). The fruit is not typically eaten by humans, but birds and animals may eat it. It is much smaller and less flavorful than the fruit of the pistachio tree (Pistacia vera), which produces the pistachio nut we eat today.
The terebinth tree is common on the lower parts of hills throughout Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Arabia. It usually grows alone rather than in groups and is mostly found in places that are too warm or too dry for oak trees. Since the terebinth naturally grows in Gilead, it is likely that its sticky juice was part of the spices that the Ishmaelites carried from Gilead to Egypt (Genesis 37:25).