Chinese Pistachio

Chinese Pistachio (Pistacia chinensis) is the shade tree to plant when you want autumn colour that performs in a warm Australian climate. It reaches about 9m tall and 6m across, casting real shade through summer, then turning brilliant orange and scarlet before dropping its leaves and letting the winter sun through. The roots go down rather than out, which is why councils use it on nature strips.

Why you'll love it

• Autumn colour without a cold climate. It lights up orange and scarlet in warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens where liquidambars and maples sulk.
• Summer shade, then winter sun. A rounded 6m canopy shades a lawn through the hot months, then bares off so the house gets light in July.
• Roots that behave. Deep and non-invasive, which makes it a standard street tree rather than a risk near paving.
• Tough in hard conditions. Drought tolerant, heat tolerant, wind tolerant and content in poor soil, including dry inland gardens.

Where it works best

As a shade tree over lawn or paving. Allow 6m of clear width and about 4m from the house. The canopy is high branched enough that grass still grows underneath.

Driveways and avenues. Plant 6m to 8m apart for a formal run where canopies meet overhead in time, or 10m apart to keep each tree separate.

As a feature tree in a dry garden. On an unirrigated block or thin soil, few deciduous trees this size thrive with so little help.

Growing Chinese Pistachio in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, always, because shade cuts the growth and the autumn display. It suits warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean and arid or semi-arid gardens, which covers Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth, Sydney and inland towns. Cold nights sharpen the colour. It is not the tree for the wet tropics.

Soil. Not fussy. Poor, stony, sandy or alkaline ground all work, provided water drains away. On heavy clay, plant on a raised mound.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first two summers while the taproot goes down. After that a monthly soak in a dry summer is plenty, with a complete slow release fertiliser in early spring.

Pruning. Prune in winter while it is bare. Young trees can be gawky, so shorten wayward leaders for the first three or four years and lift the lower branches to the clearance you want.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in six sizes: 300mm and 400mm pots, then 30L, 45L, 100L and advanced 400L specimens. The 300mm and 400mm plants are slender young trees, often a metre or two of single stem, and they are the sensible buy for an avenue. From 45L upwards you are buying a tree with a formed head and immediate presence.

Being deciduous, trees dispatched between late autumn and early spring arrive bare, which is normal. Expect around 40cm to 60cm of growth a year once established. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every tree carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse trees and plants with autumn colour
• The best trees for lining an Australian driveway
• Compare other driveway and avenue trees
• Trees with non-invasive roots

Common questions

How fast does it grow?

Moderate. Expect roughly 40cm to 60cm a year with reasonable water, quicker early and slower as it nears 9m. It is worth buying at a larger size if you want shade this decade.

Will I get autumn colour in a warm garden?

Yes, and that is the reason to choose it. Colour is strongest where autumn nights turn cool, so Adelaide, Canberra and Melbourne see the most intense scarlet, but Sydney and Perth still colour well.

Does it produce edible pistachios?

No. It is a relative of the commercial pistachio, grown purely as an ornamental shade tree. The flowers are insignificant, and female trees carry small fruit that birds take.