Growth form: Chinese pistache grow 13-24'' per year, when they are fully mature they can reach up to 25-35' and have a spread of 25'- 35'.
Leaves, twigs, and bark: Leaves of Chinese pistache have alternate, even-pinnately compound, entire. They also have a pinnate leaf venation. The branches are very droopy, showy, with one trunk, for the sizes of the tree the tree is particularly strong. The are deciduous so in the fall their leaves turn into a very elegant red color.
Leaves of Chinese pistache #126, showing alternate leaf arrangement, entire margins, and lanceloate shape. (Photos by C. McCleese10/24/2019)
Flowers: Chinese pistache blooms from April to May. Flowers are green and in panicles. The leaf blades tend to be about 2-4 inches long, Male and female flowers are produced on separate trees,
Red leaves of the Chinese pistache tree #126 in the early fall. (Photos by C. McCleese10/24/2019)
Fruits: Female and male trees are two different types of trees, and most people that are buying the tree refer the male because females have a round .5 inch ball that can vary in colors; red, green, or blue.
Cluster of fruits on a Chinese Pistache. (photo by: November, Los Altos, CA.
Photo by Bill Marken)
Native range and habitat: The Chinese pistache native to Central and western China and Taiwan. It can survive well where there are mild winters, followed by hot summer, as well as places with rocky soil. The Chinese pistache is a very strong tree, when it comes to where it can survive. It can survive harsh winters, to lots of heat, as well as very dry drought seasons.
Distribution of Chinese pistache. (Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation. (2019).)
Plant Family: The Chinese pistache tree is part of the Cashew family, which are plants/trees that fruit in drupes. They are all mostly native to tropics and subtropical areas of the world. As well as several of the species being economically important crop because of the fruit and nuts.
Ecologic Importance and Uses:
Edible and Medicinal Uses: When the Chinese pistache tree is young you can cook the shoots and the leaves and you can also cook the seed as a vegetable.
Wildlife: The female Chinese pistache tree produces fruits that are not edible to humans, but smaller birds happily eat them.
Gardens and Landscaping: Chinese pistache is widely used in landscaping and can be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 9. Its has showy flowers attract bird and insect pollinators in the spring, and fruits attract birds in the fall. Seeds start off very red and the closer to winter they turn dark blue.
Campus Specimens - Chinese pistache
State and national champions?
At Radford University, Three Chinese pistache tree are on campus, they are shown highlighted on the map below. They are located alongside peters hall facing cook hall.
Tree #125
Trunk circumference: 25.8 inches
Tree height: 25.5 feet
Crown spread: 23.10 feet x 24.5 feet Average =23.8 feet
Total points: 57.3
Notes: This branching tree is the largest and healthiest of our three campus Chinese pistache, it is also the tree that kept all it's leaves the longest through December.
Tree #126
Trunk circumference: 13.32 inches
Tree height: 19 feet
Crown spread: 19.7 feet x 18.9 feet Average crown spread = 19.3 feet
Total points: 37.1
Notes: This is a small, narrow Chinese pistache tree.
Tree #127
Trunk circumference: 24 inches
Tree height: 21.5 feet
Crown spread: 20.4 feet x 20.7 feet Average crown spread = 20.55 feet
Total points: 50.6
Notes: This smaller tree with smaller branches.
References
Elpel, T. J. (2018). Botany in a Day: The Patterns Method of Plant Identification, Edition 6.1. Hops Press, Pony, MT.
Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation. (2019). Fringe Tree Fact Sheet, Virginia Tech Dendrology. dendro.cnre.vt.edu/DENDROLOGY/factsheets.cfm
Page created by: Cheyenne McCleese, Radford University (2019).