Leaf
Jebulon, Wikimedia · Domaine Public
Pistachio
Pistacia vera L.
Also known as: Pistachio tree
Family: Anacardiaceae
5 to 10 m tall
Planted in orchards, hot, dry climate, free-draining chalky soils
Flowering: March – April
Full sun
Fairly hardy once established, to about -15°C, but needs a long, hot, dry summer to fruit
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
The pistachio is a dioecious species: a male and a female tree must be planted close to each other to obtain fruit, the pollen being carried by the wind.
🍃 Leaves
Deciduous, compound, with 3-5 oval leaflets
🌸 Flowers
Small, petal-less, grouped in clusters; dioecious plant (separate male and female trees)
🍎 Fruits
Small oval drupe, shell splitting open at maturity, revealing the edible green kernel (the pistachio)
🪵 Bark
Greyish, cracking with age
🗺️ Distribution
Native to Central Asia; grown in hot Mediterranean climates, still marginal in France
🐝 Value for pollinators
Mainly wind-pollinated, of little interest to pollinators
✂️ Horticultural uses
Fruit tree for hot, dry climates, needs a male and a female tree close together to set fruit
⚠️ Possible toxicity
Edible fruit; no known toxicity, a common allergen in people sensitive to tree nuts
🌿 Other Anacardiaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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