Pistacia chinensis
Common name: 
Chinese Pistache
Chinese Pistachio
Pronunciation: 
pis-TA-shi-a chi-NEN-sis
Family: 
Anacardiaceae
Genus: 
Pistacia
Type: 
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
No
  • Deciduous tree, to 30-35(50) ft [9-10.5(15) m] tall, 25-30(40) ft [7.5-9(12) m] wide, rounded crown.  Leaves alternate, pinnately compound (even), about 25 cm long, 10-12(20) leaflets, each leaflet 5-10 cm long, leaflets lanceolate, short stalked, margin entire, lustrous dark green; fall color is yellow, orange and orange-red.  Flowers dioecious -male and female flowers on separate plants, greenish, male flowers in dense clusters 5-7.5 cm long, female flowers in loose clusters 18-23 cm long; flowers appear before leaves.  Fruit somewhat spherical, about 6 mm across, maturing to blue or red in the same cluster, ripen in October.
  • Sun.  Adaptable, drought resistant, but grows best in moist, well-drained soil.
  • Hardy to USDA Zone 6     Native to western and central China, Taiwan and the Philippines.
  • Pistacia vera is the species that produces the commercial pistachio nut.
  • Oregon State Univ. campus: male trees along the north side of Jefferson Ave. west of 30th St.
Click image to enlarge
  • plant habit, spring

    plant habit, spring

  • flower, spring

    flower, spring

  • flowers and unfolding leaves

    flowers and unfolding leaves

  • plant habit, summer

    plant habit, summer

  • leaf

    leaf

  • leaves and developing fruit

    leaves and developing fruit

  • developing fruit, summer

    developing fruit, summer

  • fruit, fall

    fruit, fall

  • plant habit, fall

    plant habit, fall

  • trunk, bark

    trunk, bark

  • winter twig, buds

    winter twig, buds