Pistache, Chinese

Pistacia chinensis

Chinese Pistache Facts

Mature Height: 35-50 feet
Mature Spread: 25-30 feet
Mature Form: Oval
Growth Rate: Medium
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Moisture: Widely adaptable
Soil Type: Widely adaptable
Flower Color: Not showy
Foliage Color: Green
Fall Color: Orange to red

Zones: 6 - 9

Chinese Pistache is a long-lived, winter-hardy shade tree with spectacular red, red-orange fall color. This tree has gained a lot of popularity over the past several years, and for good reason. It is one of the most colorful trees in autumn, and the color change is slow, providing beautiful hues for a lengthy period. As it matures, it provides good shade. Chinese Pistache has outstanding heat, drought, and soil tolerance, and is extremely pest-resistant. This is a tough tree that will grow in clay, loam, or sand in a wide range of soil pH. It is a near perfect shade tree for one-story buildings. The crown is quite round and symmetrical on older specimens. It has been described as the "Ugly Duckling" because it changes from a gangly young tree into a magnificent specimen. T he fruit is not a pistachio nut and is inedible by people, though wildlife consume it.