Plant Chinese pistache (Pistacia chinensis) trees for shade and gorgeous fall color.
Pinnate green leaves turn red, orange, or yellow in fall.
Chinese pistache trees are considered invasive in some states, including Texas and North Carolina.
Credit:Mark Miller Photos / Getty Images
The roots are well-behaved, making it a safe choice near blacktop and concrete.
The grayish-brown bark becomes textured and flaky as the tree matures, exposing orangey inner bark when chipped away.
A Chinese pistache planted in the shade can grow ungainly and lopsided.
This tree is relatively heat- and drought-tolerant, making it an excellent tree for sunny locations.
Shaded areas will produce trees with less fruit than others planted in direct sunlight.
Water deeply when the soil is dry for the first year.
This tree prefers to have only partially wet feet.
Young Chinese pistache trees can be gangly and take a while to develop their attractive umbrella shape.
The tree needs about two years to develop a proper root system to become strong.
Mulching can help the tree retain its moisture.
Temperature And Humidity
Chinese pistache trees grow better in warmer, arid climates than in colder regions.
They prefer lower humidity.
Typically these trees do not tolerate cold weather beyond light freezing temperatures.
Fertilizer
The Chinese pistache tree only requires alittle fertilizationafter the first few years of establishing itself.
Plant in an area with rich organic soil and amend the contents if it lacks the proper nutrients.
Young trees benefit from nitrogen-based fertilizer in the spring and summer.
Chinese pistache trees can be either male or female.
The greenish flowers appear in spring but are not showy.
Only females bear fruit, which some people find a little messy.
Prune away excess branches while maintaining the trunk to encourage new, symmetrical growth.
When foliage or fruit drops, remove the debris with a rake around the tree to prevent unwanted seedlings.
Otherwise, remove dead or diseased branches whenever necessary.
If it is not a variety protected from infringement copyrights, stem cuttings are the best way to propagate.
Deep-green foliage will return when the weather warms, typically around March.
This quick-growing tree is consistently developing a spectacular fall-colored foliage of scarlet, orange, and yellow.
Common Pests & Plant Diseases
The Chinese pistache tree does not experience significantpest issues.
Always use clean garden tools and maintain proper soil conditions, as Verticillium wilt is a soil-borne disease.
Early signs that this disease is present include brown and wilting leaves.
Oak root fungus is also a disease that can impact the Chinese pistache tree’s health.
This disease affects a tree’s root system, preventing water and nutrients from finding the tree.
Some pests include scales, which appear as bumps on the lower sides of leaves.
These insects suck the sap from the plant tissue by piercing the foliage with their mouths.
This infestation causes plants to turn yellow and the leaves to drop.
Unfortunately, the scales are challenging to control once present, so prevention is critical.
see to it to plant the tree in a sunny location in well-draining soil.
Trees that get too much shade may not produce as many blooms.
Pruning at the wrong time can disrupt the tree’s blooming since blooms emerge from old growth.
If you prune too much or too late, the tree may have less blooms.
Prune in January or February.
A fungus causes root rot in the soil and affects the base of the stems first.
Other causes include contaminated water.
Symptoms include roots breaking or turning black.
Male trees do not produce any fruits.
Yes, the female trees can be messy when they drop their berries.
Like many trees, they drop leaves in the fall which need to be raked up.
They have a quick growth rate once established, growing about 2 to 3 feet per year.
