Accession Count: 26
Common Name:
red push pistache
Family Name:
Anacardiaceae
Botanical Name:
Pistacia x
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
'Red Push'
Characteristics:
The ‘Red Push’pistache is a small to medium-sized woody tree often with an erect form, dark brown and lightly textured bark, and a rounded canopy (1). It averages about X 8 m (26 ft) but can reach 12 m (40 ft) tall and 9 m (30 ft) wide (2). The globe-shaped canopy provides a beautiful framework for the trees' warm, red-toned new growth, which ranges from shades of red to orange (1). Leaves are pinnately compound and arranged alternately along the branches. Leaves are oblong and grow about 30 cm (1 ft) long. Each leaf contains around 10 – 16, elliptical or lanceolate leaflets (3). Flowers of this hybrid tree are inconspicuous and borne on a panicle-like inflorescence. Fruits are 7 cm (3 in) in diameter, green drupes, that darken to red when ripened (4).
Compound:
Pis Red
Geographic Origin:
China
Ecozone Origin:
Palearctic
Biome Origin:
Natural History:
This cultivar results from a cross between the Pistache atlantica and the Pistache integerrima, in the early 2000’s (5). The hybrid was first created by the Desert Forest Nursery and has since become incredibly popular in the southwestern United States (6).
Cultivation Notes:
Due to its origins as a hybrid, all red push pistaches are clones of the same parental cross (8). While the plant can be grown from seed on its own, it will typically be distributed as an adolescent planted (5). The plant is very popular in the southwestern United States due to its success in hot and sunny environments. The Red Push Pistache is hardy to USDA zone of 7 (2). In addition, the plant has numerous other factors that make it so popular in the arid climate of the southwest. The plant is adapted to a wide variety of soil textures and pH levels, though the plant prefers highly acidic soil, it can tolerate slightly alkaline soil pH (1). Additionally, the plant is highly drought tolerant (4) and only requires moderate irrigation around every 2-4 weeks (3). The Pistache tree will struggle in shaded areas or salty soil as it is not shade or salt tolerable (1).
Ethnobotany:
With the Red Push Pistache being a relatively new plant, it does not have much of an ethnobotanical background. The species is popular as a landscape ornamental tree for a few reasons, including its vibrant color, which it holds for longer when compared to its cousin the Chinese pistache (5). Additionally, because of the low water usage, the hybrid has been promoted by the Arizona Department of Water Resources (7). As such, the Red Push Pistache is used extensively across the southwestern United States as a cooling shade plant and for its warm colors (6). The plant is typically used as a street or park tree for its incredible vibrancy as well as its low need for maintenance (1). Additionally, the plant provides an excellent source of shade under its wide canopy not only for humans but for many other wildlife creatures (1). Besides its vibrancy, the Red Push’s resilience sets it apart from other similar trees. Especially when comparing it to the Chinese pistache, red push not only has a stronger and better-developed root system but is also more resilient to the pathogen Verticillium (5). One of Red Push’s parent plants, Pistache atlantica, has a long history of ethnobotanical uses. The tree’s resin, nuts, and seed oils have been used for centuries to treat stomach and renal issues, create dyes, and simply as a food source (9). Given the ornamental nature of red push, it can be made clear that its inability to produce nuts makes it less ethnobotanical viable regarding agricultural and medical practices. Some extension sources suggest the leaves are toxic to horses.
Height:
20 - 50 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
