Accession Count: 90
Common Name:
Chinese pistache
Family Name:
Anacardiaceae
Botanical Name:
Pistacia chinensis
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
The Chinese pistache is a winter deciduous tree reaching 20 m (60 feet) tall and 10 m (25-35 feet) wide with a uniform, rounded, symmetrical crown (3). The canopy is very dense, has a medium texture and grows at a moderate rate (3). The tree branches create a vase-shape which is particularly evident during the winter and lower branches often spread wide and droop toward the ground in mature trees (2, 3). Older, trees are most dense, rounded and uniformly shaped (1, 2, 3, 4). Young branches are thick and resistant to breakage (3). The wood in mature trees is very hard and trunks are covered with gray-brown bark that fissures and scales off to reveal a salmon-colored inner bark beneath (2, 3). Chinese pistache has finely divided, lustrous green foliage during the summer months, and terrific fall color, plus exfoliating bark for winter interest. The fiery orange and red leaves make this Asian native one of the prettiest trees in autumn. The male and female flowers emerge in the spring before the leaves. They are dense or loose greenish clusters. The leaves are deciduous, even-pinnately compound, 45 cm (18 inches) long with dark green leaflets in 6-10 pairs reaching 3-5 cm (1 ½ inches long) and half as wide (3, 4). Leaves are alternately arranged on the stems, have an entire leaf margin and lanceolate shape (3, 4). They and have a very distinct odor when crushed (1). In the fall, leaves turn red to reddish-orange. In USDA hardiness zone 8 and colder areas, fall color is reliably bright red or orange while in warmer climates fall color is less reliable (3). This is one of the last trees to color in the fall, extending the fall color show in many parts of the south into November (3). This plant is dioecious with male and female flowers on separate plants. Male flowers are borne in dense clusters 5-7.5 cm (2-3 inches) long, while female flowers are borne in loose clusters 18-23 cm (6-9 inches) long (4). Since the flowers appear before leaves, they are especially showy! Fertilized fruit produces a reddish brown dry fruit in panicles that persist on the tree throughout fall and winter (3). Fruit is oval-round, about 6 mm around, fleshy, ripening to red-blue in October (2, 3).
Compound:
Pis chi
Geographic Origin:
East Asia
Ecozone Origin:
Palearctic
Biome Origin:
Natural History:
The Chineses pistache is suited for USDA hardiness zones: 6B through 9. The genus name, Pistacia, is derived from the Greek word, pistake, meaning nut. The epithet, chinensis, means from China. As the specific epithet suggests, it originates in western and central China, Taiwan and the Philippines (3, 4). It may be found in hilly and mountainous forests of its native range (2).
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Natural History of the UA Campus Arboretum Specimens:
Accession # : 3833 was recognized as a University Heritage Tree in 2003. At the time of its award, it was the largest and most vigorous of its species on campus. Located east of the Arizona State Museum, this elegant tree glows each autumn with copper leaves and red fruit. It has been a fixture in the Historic District of campus since the late 1960's. The tree was also designated a Great Tree of Arizona in 2004.
Cultivation Notes:
Chinese pistache can be propagation by seed (3). It is hardy to USDA Zone 6b though its range is occasionally extended to hardiness zone 6a (3). It is also heat resistant and does not require a lot of water (2, 3). While it is considered drought tolerant/resistant, it grows best in moist, well-drained soil (2, 3, 4). Chinese pistache grows well in full sun to partial shade but prefers and will develop a more rounded crown if grown in full sun (2, 3). It tolerates clay; sand; and loam soils that are It is also tolerant to pollution tolerant, resistant to fire and generally long lived (2). It has no serious pest or disease problems though it may be susceptible to verticillium wilt. The tree benefits from structural pruning when young to create the best form (3).
Ethnobotany:
The Chinese pistache is used mainly as an ornamental or shade tree in parks and along streets, though the fruit does creates a mess on the pavement. When used as a landscape ornamental, plan for the large space needed for the large canopy. Given its drought tolerance, adaptability, moderate size, and beautiful form and fall color, it has merit for wider use in urban tree plantings asa specimen, shade or street tree (3). Its adaptability to a variety of conditions also suits this tree for use in reclamation (3). The fruits of this tree are inedible to human despite the relationship of this species to Pistacia vera, the source of edible pistachio nuts (4). This species also provides the rootstock onto which commercial pistachio trees are grafted (2, 3). The tree is not known to attract wildlife (though there are reports of birds eating the fruit), and fruit/leaves may be a litter problem (2, 3). As a relative of cashews, mangos, and poison ivy, Chinese pistache has been found to have two novel ingredients with estrogen-like activity.
Height:
50 - 100 feet
Width:
20 - 50 feet
Growth Rate:
Moderate Growing
Grow Season:
Summer
Flower Season:
Spring
Color:
Red
Function:
Shade
Spread:
Non-spreading
Allergen:
Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Benign
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.
- North Carolina State University https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/pistacia-chinensis/ Retrieved June 26, 2024.
- University of Florida https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/ST482 Retrieved June 26, 2024.
- Oregon State University https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/pistacia-chinensis Retrieved June 26, 2024.
- Ethnobotany of the Arboretum Trees https://arboretum.arizona.edu/ethnobotany-arboretum-trees-0 Retrieved June 26, 2024.
