Common Name: Pistachio

General Information

Pistacia vera is a deciduous tree that usually grows 1 - 5 metres tall, but can reach 10 metres[]..
The pistachio nut is harvested from the wild and is also often cultivated, especially in western Asia for its edible seed, which is traded internationally[].
Pistacia vera is threatened in the wild by fruit collection, livestock grazing and cutting. The plant is classified as 'Near Threatened' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2007)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Central and western Asia - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, northeastern Iran, northern Afghanistan

Habitat

Hilly and mountainous regions, especially on sandstone soils, with a temperature range from -10°c in the winter to 40°c in the summer, to 1500 metres[]

Properties

Conservation Status	Near Threatened
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	5.00 m
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Pistacia vera is a plant of the temperate zone in regions with long hot summers and low humidity[]. It is found at elevations up to 1,200 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 25 - 35°c, but can tolerate 12 - 40°c[]. It requires hot summers to fully ripen its wood - in areas with cooler summers the plant will be more sensitive to cold than the figures given in the next sentence. When dormant, the plant can survive temperatures down to about -18°c, but young growth is more tender and can be severely damaged at -1°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 400 - 700mm, but tolerates 250 - 1,100mm[]. The plant requires low to medium humidity and needs a period of 1,000 hours below 7.5°c in the winter in order to break the dormancy of the buds[].
Requires a sunny position in a deep well-drained light soil[]. Succeeds in dry soils. Does well in light calcareous soils[]. Grows well on poor soils and tolerates moderate soil salinity[, ]. Prefers a pH in the range 7 - 8, tolerating 6 - 8.5[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[].
Plants are prone to fungal root rots[].
The pistachio nut is often cultivated for its edible seed in warm temperate areas, there are many named forms[].
Plants take around 4 - 5 years before first coming into bearing, 7 - 10 years before they reach commercial production and then peak at about 20 years[].
Individual trees can live for several hundred years, 700 years have been recorded for some specimens[].
Any pruning that needs to be done is best carried out in the spring[].
Dioecious, male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. One male plant for every five females is adequate[].

Edible Uses

Seed - raw or cooked[, , , ]. The seed is rich in oil and has a pleasant mild flavour[]. It is very nice when eaten raw and is also widely used in confectionery, ice cream, cakes, pies etc[].

An edible oil is obtained from the seed but is not produced commercially due to the high price of the seed[].

The fruits can be made into a flavourful marmalade[]. The fruit is a narrowly ovoid to oblong or subglobose, one-seeded drupe, 1-2 cm x 0.6-1.2 cm, with a light green kernel[].

Medicinal

The plant is used in China for the treatment of abdominal ailments, abscesses, amenorrhoea, bruises, chest ailments, circulation, dysentery, gynecopathy, pruritus, rheumatism, sclerosis of the liver, sores and trauma[].

A resin obtained from the bark is used in the treatment of haemorrhoids, asthma and stomach aches[].

The seed is said to be cardiac, sedative, stomachic and tonic (especially for the brain)[, ].

The shell of the seed is astringent, sedative and tonic[].

Oil from the fruit has medicinal properties[].

Other Uses

The seed yields up to 40% of a non-drying oil. It is not used commercially due to the high value of the seed for food[].
The oil from the seed is used as a facial skin cleanser[].

Male trees yield a small quantity of a high grade resin. It is used in paints, lacquers etc[].
Resin tapped from the stems is used in high quality paints, nitro-lacquers and also has medicinal properties[].

Galls and fruit pericarp is employed to dye silk[].

The wood can be used for small items like agricultural tools, spoons, etc[].

Propagation

Pre-soak the seed for 16 hours in alkalized water[], or for 3 - 4 days in warm water[], and sow late winter in a cold frame or greenhouse[, ]. Two months cold stratification may speed up germination, so it might be better to sow the seed in early winter[]. The germination is variable and can be slow. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow on the plants for at least their first winter in a greenhouse. Plant out into their permanent positions in early summer and consider giving some protection from winter cold for their first year or two outdoors[].
Cuttings of half-ripe wood from juvenile trees, July in a frame[].
Layering.