Practical
Plants

Pistacia vera

Pistachio

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Pistacia genus in the family Pistaciaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Height
10 m
Fertility
self sterile
Flower type
dioecious

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - raw or cooked[4][9][10][11]. The seed is rich in oil and has a pleasant mild flavour[4]. It is very nice when eaten raw and is also widely used in confectionery, ice cream, cakes, pies etc[3]. An edible oil is obtained from the seed but is not produced commercially due to the high price of the seed[3]. The fruits can be made into a flavourful marmalade[3].

Plant part
Fruit
Product or use
Oil
Plant part
Seed

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

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[6]. The seed is said to be sedative and tonic[8].

Product or use
Miscellany
Product or use
Sedative
Product or use
Tonic

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

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[3]. Male trees yield a small quantity of a high grade resin. It is used in paints, lacquers etc[11].

Product or use
Oil
Product or use
Resin

Environment

Range
W. Asia.
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[5]
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 9+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
drought
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Pre-soak the seed for 16 hours in alkalized water[12], or for 3 - 4 days in warm water[1], and sow late winter in a cold frame or greenhouse[12][2]. Two months cold stratification may speed up germination, so it might be better to sow the seed in early winter[2]. 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[K]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood from juvenile trees, July in a frame[2]. Layering.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a sunny position in a deep well-drained light soil[5]. Succeeds in dry soils. Does well in light calcareous soils[5]. Grows well on poor soils[5]. Prefers long hot summers and low humidity[5]. Plants are not very hardy in Britain and are unlikely to succeed outdoors in any but the mildest areas of the country. They will be hardier in areas with long hot summers that will thoroughly ripen the wood. Plants are prone to fungal root rots[5]. The pistachio nut is often cultivated for its edible seed in warm temperate areas, there are many named forms[3]. It is very unlikely to produce a crop of seeds in Britain, simply because the summers here are not hot enough or long enough[K]. Any pruning that needs to be done is best carried out in the spring[7]. Dioecious, male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. One male plant for every five females is adequate[5].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

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  2. Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009

    ↩1↩2↩3

  3. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  4. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩1↩2

  5. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  6. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

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  7. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

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  8. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩

  9. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  10. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

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  11. Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  12. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩1↩2

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