Chinese Pistache
Pistachia chinensis
Anacardiaceae (Cashew Family)
▲young tree
▲ bark on young tree
▲▼ leaves, showing lack of terminal leaflet, or only a linear leaflet at that location
▲▼ young trees with fall color
▲▼ fall color leaves
Location on campus: along east side of drive east of JQH Arena; along east side of drive that runs east of Greenwood Lab School
Pistachia chinensis: Chinese Pistache
· leaves alternate, deciduous, pinnately compound with 10-12 leaflets; leaflets 2-4" long and 3/4 as wide, lanceolate with slightly serrate margins; shiny dark green above; can become orange to orange-red in fall, but colors late only if not previously injured by freeze
· stems stout, light brown with prominent orangish lenticels, glabrous; odorous when bruised; pith is large and white
· bark is gray to gray-black with shallow furrow and scaly ridges; inner bark is orange to salmon in color
· grows 30-35' tall in oval to rounded shape with upswept arching branches
· prefers full sun and well-drained soils; can tolerate very dry soils
· related to pistachio nut tree
· medium growth rate