Tree
Chinese pistache
Pistacia chinensis · Anacardiaceae
Also called: Chinese pistachio
Chinese pistache (Pistacia chinensis) is a low-water tree well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in full sun, with a moderate growth rate.
Chinese pistache at a glance
- Water use
- Low (established)
- Sun
- Full sun.
- Mature size
- 25-40 ft tall and 25-30 ft wide; rounded, spreading deciduous canopy.
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Bloom
- Inconspicuous (greenish/reddish); ornamental value is in red-orange fall foliage and red/blue fruit., Inconspicuous flowers in spring; dioecious. Females bear clusters of small red-to-blue fruits. Prized for brilliant fall color (orange, red, scarlet).
- Cold hardiness
- Very cold hardy (well below 0-10 degrees F); fully hardy in Tucson, deciduous in winter, no frost protection needed.
- Soil
- Adaptable to a wide range of soils from sandy loam to clay; tolerates alkalinity and caliche. Must have good drainage; does not tolerate waterlogged soil.
- Native range
- Native to China, Taiwan, and the Philippines.
- Best used as
- Deciduous shade tree, Fall color specimen, Street and parking-lot tree, Lawn/patio tree
- Wildlife
- Fruits on female trees are eaten by birds; flowers offer minor pollinator value.
- Toxicity
- Non-toxic to people and pets; not known to be harmful.
How to grow Chinese pistache in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Drought tolerant once established; in the low desert deep-water about twice a month spring through fall and reduce in winter. Water young trees more often (1-2 times weekly) to establish, then taper to deep, infrequent irrigation.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Low to moderate needs. Apply a balanced or slow-release tree fertilizer in spring if growth is sluggish; mature trees in decent soil need little. Iron chelate corrects occasional chlorosis in alkaline desert soil.
Pruning & care
Prune young trees in winter dormancy to develop strong central leader and well-spaced scaffold branches (early structure helps offset its sometimes awkward juvenile form). Mature trees need only light corrective pruning.
Notes
One of the few reliable trees for strong fall color in Tucson's low desert. Tough, long-lived, and well-adapted. Male (fruitless) trees avoid the litter and reseeding from female fruit. Pollen can be a seasonal allergen.
Sources: AMWUA - Chinese Pistache; University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Deciduous Trees publication; Pima County Master Gardeners