Pistacia chinensis

Chinese Pistache

Deciduous Tree

This tree deserves to be more widely grown! It's a deciduous tree with a broad and spreading canopy of deep-green, dissected foliage. It puts on a stunning fall display in shades of red, orange, and yellow. Drought-tolerant and relatively free of pest and disease. Although they are reported to be susceptible to verticillium wilt, so don't plant where you suspect the soil harbors the pathogen. They are dioecious (separate male and female trees), with inconspicuous flowers in April on female trees that develop into red-ripening-to-blue spherical drupes when pollinated. Drupes are inedible (Pistacia vera produces the edible pistachio nuts).

Growing Conditions

Zone: 6, 7, 8, 9

Exposure: Full Sun, Part Sun, Afternoon Sun

Water Needs: Drought-tolerant, Average, Low, Occasional

Description

Size: 360 - 420 tall x 240 - 360 wide
Shape / Form: Rounded
Foliage Texture: Fine
Foliage Quality: Fine

Features: Drought-tolerant / Water wise, Attractive Foliage, Attractive Bark or Stem, Fall Color, Low Maintenance, Exfoliating Bark

Foliage Color: Green
Fall Color: Red, Mutli-color, Orange, Mixed / Variable, Yellow, Reliable Fall Color Leaf Shape: Dissected, Lance-shaped



Fruit Description: Red, Blue
Fruit Description: Silver / Gray

Uses and Applications

Landscape Uses: Mixed Border, Small Gardens, Specimen, Street Tree, Structure / Foundation
Special Situations: Pollution Tolerant

More Design Considerations

Season of Interest: Spring, Summer, Fall, Pleasing Seasonal Changes
Position / Role: canopy
Collections: eGardenGo Favorite

Care and Maintenance

Maintenance Level: low


Perfect Partners

Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln' | Dwarf Fountain Grass
Pittosporum tobira 'Tall and Tough' | Japanese mock-orange