Pistacia chinensis Anacardiaceae
Chinese Pistache, Chinese Pistachio pis-TA-shi-a chi-NEN-sis
- Deciduous tree, to 30-35(50) ft [9-10.5(15) m] tall, 25-30(40) ft [7.5-9(12) m] wide, rounded crown. Leaves alternate, pinnately compound (even), about 25 cm long, 10-12(20) leaflets, each leaflet 5-10 cm long, leaflets lanceolate, short stalked, margin entire, lustrous dark green; fall color is yellow, orange and orange-red. Flowers dioecious -male and female flowers on separate plants, greenish, male flowers in dense clusters 5-7.5 cm long, female flowers in loose clusters 18-23 cm long; flowers appear before leaves. Fruit somewhat spherical, about 6 mm across, maturing to blue or red in the same cluster, ripen in October.
- Sun. Adaptable, drought resistant, but grows best in moist, well-drained soil.
- Hardy to USDA Zone 6 Native to western and central China, Taiwan and the Philippines.