Accession Count: 56
Common Name:
Chinese pistache
Family Name:
Anacardiaceae
Botanical Name:
Pistacia chinensis
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
This is a deciduous tree reaching 60 feet in height with a spread of 25-35 feet. It is a fast growing tree with a rounded-oval canopy and dense foliage. The wood in mature trees is salmon in color with gray-brown bark. The leaves are alternate and 1 ½ feet long with leaflets in 6-10 pairs reaching 1-2 ½ inches long and ¾ an inch wide. The leaves have a very distinct odor when crushed and turn red to reddish-orange in the fall. The flowers are unisexual, small, aromatic, and green to red in loose panicles. They produce a reddish brown dry fruit in drupes to 1 ½ inches long. The fruit appears in showy panicles in the fall.
Compound:
Pis chi
Geographic Origin:
East Asia
Ecozone Origin:
Palearctic
Biome Origin:
Natural History:
Although this tree is a distant relative of the Pistachio, it does not provide an edible nut. The species name refers to its native region of China.
Cultivation Notes:
When landscaping with the P. chinensis plan to have a large space for the rounded crown. Also, this plant does not require a large amount of water during the year and can tolerate freezing temperatures.
Ethnobotany:
The P. chinensis is used mainly as an ornamental or shade tree in parks and along streets, though the fruit does creates a mess on the pavement.
Height:
50 - 100 feet
Width:
20 - 50 feet
Growth Rate:
Grow Season:
Summer
Flower Season:
Color:
Function:
Shade
Spread:
Non-spreading
Allergen:
Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Toxicity:
Benign
Hardy:
Hardy
Water Use:
Low water Use
Citations:
- Walters, James E, and Balbir Backhaus. Shade and Color with Water-Conserving Plants. Timber Press, 1992.
