Chinese Pistache

Chinese Pistache

Pistachia chinensis

Anacardiaceae (Cashew Family)

▲ young tree

▲ bark on young tree

▲ ▼ leaves, showing lack of terminal leaflet, or only a linear leaflet at that location

▲ ▼ young trees with fall color

▲ ▼ fall color leaves

Location on campus: along east side of drive east of JQH Arena; along east side of drive that runs east of Greenwood Lab School

Pistachia chinensis: Chinese Pistache

• leaves alternate, deciduous, pinnately compound with 10-12 leaflets; leaflets 2-4" long and 3/4 as wide, lanceolate with slightly serrate margins; shiny dark green above; can become orange to orange-red in fall, but colors late only if not previously injured by freeze
• stems stout, light brown with prominent orangish lenticels, glabrous; odorous when bruised; pith is large and white
• bark is gray to gray-black with shallow furrow and scaly ridges; inner bark is orange to salmon in color
• grows 30-35' tall in oval to rounded shape with upswept arching branches
• prefers full sun and well-drained soils; can tolerate very dry soils
• related to pistachio nut tree
• medium growth rate