Chinese pistache

Sun

Full sun; autumn colour and crown development are best in an open position.

Water

Water regularly while establishing; drought-tolerant once established, with occasional deep watering during prolonged dry weather.

Soil

Well-drained soil, including clay, loam, sand and alkaline soils; avoid waterlogged ground.

Height

30-50 ft (9-15 m)

Spread

25-35 ft (7.5-10.5 m)

Flowers

Small, inconspicuous greenish to reddish flowers in spring, with male and female flowers usually on separate trees.

Foliage

Compound leaves with narrow, pointed leaflets; dark green in summer, turning yellow, orange or red in autumn. Colour varies with the individual tree and growing conditions.

Growth

Moderate once established; young trees may grow slowly at first.

Care needed

Low

• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   7 ft (2 m)

2. After 1 year

   8 ft (2.4 m)

3. After 2 years

   9 ft (2.8 m)

4. After 3 years

   10 ft (3.2 m)

5. After 5 years

   13 ft (3.9 m)

About 26 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Invasive in

the US and Australia

In the garden

Spreads vigorously: plan to contain it.

Growth rate

Slow

• Water deeply through the first two or three growing seasons, allowing the soil surface to dry between soakings.
• Spread mulch 2-3 in (5-8 cm) deep over the root area, keeping it away from the trunk.
• Feed only if growth is poor and soil testing indicates a deficiency; established trees rarely need routine fertiliser.
• Stake only if the root ball moves in wind, and remove supports after the tree becomes anchored.
• Choose a reliably male cultivar if you want to avoid fruit litter and seedlings.

Pruning. Prune in late winter while dormant, removing dead, damaged or crossing branches. Train young trees gradually to a sound framework with well-spaced branches, and avoid topping or removing large limbs unnecessarily.

Autumn

Plant in mild climates while the soil is still warm; water thoroughly after planting.

Late winter

Check young trees for competing leaders and poorly attached branches, and prune lightly.

Spring

Plant in colder climates and renew mulch without piling it against the trunk.

Spring

Check stakes and ties; loosen or remove them as soon as the tree is stable.

Summer

Water young trees deeply during dry spells; check soil moisture before watering again.

Late autumn

Clear fallen fruit from paving and remove unwanted seedlings, especially near natural vegetation.

• Use as a lawn shade tree where its mature crown can develop without repeated pruning.
• Place west of a patio or sitting area for summer shade and winter sunlight.
• Repeat along a broad driveway or street frontage for a consistent canopy and autumn colour.
• Combine with drought-tolerant grasses and flowering perennials around the sunny edge of its canopy.

Garden styles it suits: Urban city garden, Traditional, Mediterranean, Desert / xeriscape, Autumn colour and Low-maintenance.

Plant it with: Lavender, Catmint, Yarrow, Autumn sage, Little bluestem and Purple coneflower.

Wildlife: Birds eat the fruit and can carry seeds into surrounding land. The mature crown provides shelter and nesting sites; its wind-pollinated flowers offer little value to pollinating insects.

• Verticillium wilt can cause sudden branch dieback: remove affected wood, maintain steady soil moisture and obtain a diagnosis; there is no reliable curative treatment.
• Poor drainage can cause root decline: avoid low, wet planting sites and correct drainage rather than adding more irrigation.
• Young trees can develop crossing branches or weak forks: use light, staged structural pruning rather than waiting until branches are large.
• Female trees can drop fruit and produce unwanted seedlings: choose a verified male cultivar where litter or escape into nearby vegetation would be a problem.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs or people, but the fruit is not an edible pistachio and should not be eaten. Pistacia foliage and seeds have been associated with serious poisoning in horses, including damage to red blood cells; keep horses away from the tree, fallen material and prunings.

Where it spreads. Escapes cultivation and is considered invasive in parts of Texas, particularly central and northern Texas. It is also an environmental weed in parts of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, where birds spread its seeds into bushland; check local planting guidance.

• Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima)

  Its leaflets usually have gland-tipped teeth near their bases and an unpleasant smell when crushed; Chinese pistache leaflets have smooth margins. Tree of heaven bears winged seeds rather than rounded berries.

• Edible pistachio (Pistacia vera)

  It usually has only three to five broader leaflets per leaf and produces the familiar edible nuts; Chinese pistache has many narrower leaflets and small, inedible fruits.

• Common ash (Fraxinus excelsior)

  Ash has opposite leaves, toothed leaflets, black buds and winged seeds; Chinese pistache has alternate leaves, smooth-edged leaflets and rounded fruits.

Pistacia comes from the ancient Greek name for the pistachio tree, while chinensis means 'from China'.

Propagation. Grow the species from cleaned seed, usually after a period of moist chilling. Seedlings vary in sex and autumn colour; named cultivars are generally propagated by budding or grafting to retain their characteristics.

Accepted botanical name

Pistacia chinensis

In the US and Canada

Introduced in the lower 48 states.

Native range

Afghanistan, China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast, East Himalaya, Hainan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines and Taiwan.

Measured

Average height 990 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.