The Plant List


Pistacia chinensis

Common: Chinese pistache
Family: Anacardiaceae
Sunset Zone: 4-16, 18-23. Little grown in Zones 4-7
Origin: Native to China and Taiwan
Light: Part, full or reflected sun
Soil: Tolerates alkaline soils. Grows best with deep soil and good drainage.
Water: Moderate until established. Then deep periodic waterings.

Lawn, park or avenue tree. Good in public spaces. Needs room to spread. Efficient windbreak.

Large deciduous tree with dense, rounded crown. Grows at a slow to moderate rate to 60 feet high, with spread to 50 ft. wide.

Leaves with 10-16 paired leaflets. Brilliant fall tones, including scarlet, crimson, orange and gold. Only tree to color scarlet in the desert.

Clusters of 1/2 inch fruit on female trees, later changing to purple.

Stake young trees and prune for first few years to develop head high enough to walk under.

Sometimes gets Texas root rot. Resistant to oak root fungus.

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