Great Design Plant: Chinese Pistache
Versatile and easygoing, this tree puts on a guaranteed fall spectacle in the landscape
Bill Marken
November 28, 2012
Houzz Contributor. I grew up with a love for California's valleys, hills, and mountains -- and native plants. I've been a magazine editor/writer for my whole career, and was editor in chief of Sunset and Garden Design magazines.
Houzz Contributor. I grew up with a love for California's valleys, hills, and mountains... More
This is a very reliable tree with one true gift — sort of a Susan Boyle of the arboreal world. That gift is brilliant fall color: orange, red, sometimes yellow. For most of the year, Chinese pistache is so understated and well behaved (no messy fruit, broken branches, leaf drop) that no one notices it. It’s a medium-size deciduous tree, generally with a roundish top — extremely versatile in home landscapes.
Keep in mind that pistache’s good behavior is not universal. While it is a street tree recommended by the city of San Jose, California, it is considered an undesirable invasive plant in parts of Texas and elsewhere. Check locally before planting.
Keep in mind that pistache’s good behavior is not universal. While it is a street tree recommended by the city of San Jose, California, it is considered an undesirable invasive plant in parts of Texas and elsewhere. Check locally before planting.
Botanical name: Pistacia chinensis
Common name: Chinese pistache
USDA zones: 6 to 9 (find your zone)
Light requirement: Full sun
Water requirement: Moderate, but this tree is flexible enough to accept light to heavy watering
Mature size: 30 to 60 feet tall and 30 to 40 feet wide
Tolerances: No major problems; resists oak root fungus
Common name: Chinese pistache
USDA zones: 6 to 9 (find your zone)
Light requirement: Full sun
Water requirement: Moderate, but this tree is flexible enough to accept light to heavy watering
Mature size: 30 to 60 feet tall and 30 to 40 feet wide
Tolerances: No major problems; resists oak root fungus
Distinguishing traits. Pistache is unmistakable in fall, when its leaves turn a brilliant orange or red, sometimes yellow. It's often the most vivid autumn show in much of California, and this tree does well in other mild climates — even in the Southwest desert.
Red berries on female trees add to the fall color display; they turn blue in winter. They're not edible, unlike the nuts of the related pistachio tree.
How to use it. You can grow pistache in a variety of situations: on a lawn, as a small patio tree, as a street tree in a parking strip, in a grove of three or more. A mature tree can serve as a substantial shade tree, as shown here in Davis, California, where good soil along with abundant water and heat encourages robust tree growth.
Growing tips. Pistache is not fussy about soil or water, but fall color usually is more pronounced in drier conditions. It's a bit slow to get going; start with a larger nursery tree if you’re in a hurry. Prune it during winter to shape it and control the size.
Growing tips. Pistache is not fussy about soil or water, but fall color usually is more pronounced in drier conditions. It's a bit slow to get going; start with a larger nursery tree if you’re in a hurry. Prune it during winter to shape it and control the size.
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Rebecca Cause - they are when bought young medium to slow growth. Takes about 4 yrs or so to start seeing good growth spikes. Mine were bought about 6 ft tall, in 5 gallon container from Lowe's and a Central Valley, California grower. I wanted the Davies variety to make sure I didn't get the other type that drops berries during spring time. I planted these in photo in 2012 - 13 and they are just now taking off getting thicker around the trunk and height. The leaves are finally showing their colors during fall time now. Hope this helps. The photos of trees shown are during summer/Fall 2016
My six CP are now four yrs in the ground from spindly saplings around 6' tall with a trunk diameter of@ 2", now 20' tall and wide with a trunk diameter ranging from 6"-10" the two in the front yard have grown so much faster. I believe because they have no competition unlike the ones in the back yard! The smallest is a transplant done this spring from the backyard to the front side yard ! It hasn't grown any but I'm sure it will take off in the spring it survived the uprooting and moving very well!
I believe the secret to fast growth is watering well in the first four yrs. it's fall and my CP are still growing!
you have to work with some CP as the canapoy can be gangly and wild I've trimmed off several branches on one in the front of the house, right side to work with obtaining a nicer fuller Canopy. As for raking I just leave the leaves for mulch!
before!@2yrs old
after 4yrs planted