Featured Plant: Chinese Pistache Tree

Those Plant Ladies

October 2021

It’s October and the best time for viewing the gorgeous fall leaves here in North Carolina! Of course, we had to choose a featured plant for this month that is prized for its stunning and unique fall colors. The Featured Plant for October 2021 is the Chinese pistache tree (Pistachia chinensis)!

Up close look at the leaves of the October featured plant: the Chinese Pistache Tree; on the Those Plant Ladies blog.

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Before we get into what we love about this tree, let’s chat about its big issue. Chinese pistache trees can be invasive in some parts of the US. Invasive plants are usually very hard no-no’s for us as they can be really damaging to your local ecosystem and, frankly, they can be really obnoxious to maintain in the landscape. However, when these trees become invasive, it’s due to the spread of seeds it produces in bright red clusters. The good news is these trees are dioecious, meaning there are separate male trees and female trees (there are lots of other plants like this too)! Males can not produce berries at all and females can only produce berries when there is a male tree in the area to fertilize it. This means you can safely plant male trees without worrying about them invading into your local ecosystem! So, assuming you are going to choose a male tree like the ‘Keith Davey’ variety, let’s get on to the good stuff!

Several Chinese Pistache Trees in an urban setting; the October featured plant on the Those Plant Ladies blog. — Source: wateruseitwisely.com

This is a less common small-sized tree that reaches 25-40 feet tall and 25-30 feet wide at maturity. It has great tolerance for urban conditions where the soil is poor and roots are cramped (looking at you, parking lot medians). It tolerates urban air pollution and drought like a champ. It has an upright, vase shape that will keep it from being in the way of cars or sidewalks.

This tree has fairly fine and airy-looking leaves that turn to shades of sunlight yellow, autumn orange, and fiery red. It really does put on a show when it’s in full fall color.

Check out the growing details here:

Light requirements: full or part sun but best fall color in full sun
Soil: tolerant of most soils except very wet soils
Water requirements: water through establishment but very drought tolerant once established
Hardiness zone: 6-9
Size: 25-40 feet tall and 25-30 feet wide
Landscape uses: Use as a small shade tree in urban, small-space settings