The pistachio tree produces the familiar and popular pistachios.

The tree can grow up to 10 meters tall but usually remains smaller in cultivation, especially in pots.

Botanically, pistachios are drupes with a thin, fleshy layer that protects the shell. When the fruit ripens, its color changes from green to autumn yellow-red and the shell suddenly cracks partially open with an audible pop. Each mature tree produces an average of about 50 kilograms of seeds every two years.

Botanical description

Pistacia vera belongs to the family Anacardiaceae (cashew family) and is native to Central Asia and the Middle East, particularly Iran and Afghanistan. The tree has been cultivated for thousands of years in this region, and archaeological evidence shows that pistachios were consumed as early as 6750 BC.

The Romans introduced pistachio trees from Asia to Europe in the first century AD and today they are cultivated across southern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and the United States, especially California.

The tree is dioecious, meaning there are separate male and female trees. One male tree produces enough pollen for 8-12 fruit-bearing female trees. The flowers are small without petals and are pollinated by the wind. The trees we sell are too young to determine their sex yet.

Care

The pistachio tree is very long-lived and can live up to 300 years or more. It takes about 7-10 years for the tree to reach significant production and the peak is reached around 20 years of age.

The tree loves the sun and needs at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily. Indoors, a grow light should be used to provide the tree with enough light (about 50-100W LED). It actually thrives in warm, dry climates with long, hot summers for fruit ripening. The tree can withstand temperatures from -10°C in winter to 48°C in summer. In Sweden, the tree can be displayed in the summer and brought inside in the winter.

Plant in well-drained soil . The pistachio tree is extremely tolerant of drought, but in a pot the soil should not dry out completely between waterings. Note that too much water and high humidity leads to fungal diseases and root rot, so do not let the soil be constantly wet. Buy Pistachio trees online!