Woody > Pistachia > Pistachia chinensis > Pistachia chinensis
Pistachia chinensis
Chinese Pistache
Origin: Pistacia chinensis is found in tropical Asia, extending into Myanmar and the Philippines.
Mike's
Opinion
"
A beautiful tree in the autumn months with its display of deep reds and bright oranges. This is a notably hardy specimen that does best in full sun and moist, well-drained soils. It performs well in urban conditions, adding a nice touch to the community while leaving little to no mess. Although the flowers are not very showy, it's interesting red-blue berries make up for it in my opinion.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Anacardiaceae |
| Genus |
| Pistachia |
| Species |
| chinensis |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (deciduous) |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 6a - 9b |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 5a - 9b |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H3 - H7 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| (-23.5) - (-1) |
| Temperature (°F) |
| (-5) - 30 |
| Height |
| 9.1 - 10.7 m |
| Spread |
| 6.1 - 9.1 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
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Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| A tall standing tree with a rounded crown, rough grey-brown bark, and beautiful autumn colour. |
| Landscape |
| Residential street tree, shade tree, and has also been successfully grown in urban landscapes due to its high pollution tolerance. It can also withstand conditions such as compacted soils, poor drainage, and/or drought targeted areas. The Pistacia chinensis is considered a specimen tree for its beautiful autumn colour. |
| Cultivation |
| This tree thrives in partial to full sun and can be grown in many different types of soil, such as clay, loam, sand, and acidic. It is drought tolerant but performs best in moist-well drained soils and can withstand a wide range of soil pH from 5.5 to 7.5. |
| Shape |
| Pistacia chinensis starts off as an irregularly shaped tree, maturing into a beautifully rounded tree. |
| Growth |
| Medium |
| ID Characteristic |
| Compound leaves with entire margins that display a glistening, ashy-green appearance. |
| Pests |
| Pistacia chinensis is relatively pest free, however it is susceptible to verticillium wilt and oak root fungus. |
| Habitat |
| This tree can be found in hilly, mountainous forests of Asia, Myanmar, and the Philippines. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| When the tree is young it displays smooth, light beige bark. It matures into a salmon red inner bark with an exfoliating, scaly grey-brown outer bark. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| Leaf buds appear scaly and are placed in an axillary format. They have a shuttle shape and are only 1 cm in length. They exhibit a maroon tone. |
| Leaf Description |
| The leaves exhibit a compound and opposite arrangement, characterized by a lanceolate shaped leaf measuring up to 10 cm in length. They have an entire leaf margin and display pinnate venation. They typically hold an ashy green colour up until the autumn season where they display a beautiful array of deep reds and bright oranges. |
| Flower Description |
| Pistacia chinensis produces both male and female flowers. The female flower grows as loose clusters and grows to be 18 cm to 23 cm in length. The male flower appears as dense clusters and only grows to be 5 cm to 7.6 cm in length. The flowers appear small, green, and very inconspicuous. |
| Fruit Description |
| The fruit of Pistacia chinensis starts their life cycle as a bright red, fleshy berry that later matures into an ashy-blue coloured one, characterized by a rounded, oval shape. Despite its attractive appearance, it does not attract any wildlife. One downside to this specific tree is that the fruit creates a great litter problem. |
| Colour Description |
| Bark is often a grey-brown colour with hints of red peeking through when it's at full maturity. The leaves can be identified by their ashy-green colour in the spring and summer, turning into a mix of deep reds and bright oranges in autumn. The small, fleshy berries start off bright red and ripen into an ashy- blue tone whilst the flowers maintain a greenish purple colour. |
| Texture Description |
| The leaves of Pistacia chinensis are best described as a fine textured leaf, while the bark leans more towards a coarse texture. The tree maintains this texture throughout the seasons. |
| Notable Specimens |
| Oregon State University, Corvallis, United States of America. Missouri Botanical Gardens, St. Louis, United States of America. |
| Propagation |
| Identify a soft green stem with attached leaf nodes, ensuring it is at least 15.3 cm in length. Apply rooting hormone to the cut end and plant it about 5.1 cm deep into a container filled with potting soil. Carefully compress the soil around the stem, ensuring there are no trapped air pockets, and position the cutting upright. Water it, providing proper irrigation to maintain moist yet well drained soil. Place the container in a location that receives 4-5 hours of bright, indirect light and water when the top 5.1 cm of the soil is dry. In 2 to 3 months the cutting will have grown roots, this means the cutting is ready to be transferred outside. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses (Disclaimer) |
| Certain parts of this deciduous tree can be eaten if prepared properly. Young shoots and leaves can be cooked and and replace vegetables in some dishes, whilst the seed can be roasted and eaten. A yellow dye can be obtained from the wood, which is also used in furniture making and carpentry. |
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