Pistachio tree ∗ The big guide from A to Z

Characteristics

• Scientific name: Pistacia vera
• Family: Sumac family (Anacardiaceae)
• Synonyms: real pistachio, pistachio
• Origin: Middle East, Mediterranean
• Growth type: tree or shrub
• Growth height: 3 m to 5 m
• Leaf: pinnate
• Flower: panicle
• Fruit: drupe
• Fruit property: edible
• Hardiness: conditionally hardy
• Use: Mediterranean garden, container plant

origin

Where do pistachios grow? Of the pistachio tree is one of the oldest flowering cultivated plants. The pistachio originally comes from the Middle East. From there, the sumac plants with the nutritious fruits spread across the Mediterranean. The triumphal march across the Atlantic began in the 1880s, when immigrants imported the first pistachios to America. Today the world's second largest growing area is in California. The main cultivation area is indisputably Iran.

Well-known European producers are Greece, Italy and Spain. Pistachio cultivation in Germany takes place primarily in hobby gardens.

Growing pistachios in the hobby garden

blossom

The pistachio plant is dioecious and has separate sexes. Male and female flowers grow on different trees. If you want to harvest pistachios from your own cultivation, at least two trees must be planted. Furthermore, insects will miss a flowering pistachio tree, complicating the transfer of male pollen to female flowers. The following features shape the blossom:

• inflorescence: paniculate, many-flowered
• single flower: fivefold, greenish-brown, yellowish, reddish inconspicuous
• heyday: April
• pollination: wind

The time window for wind pollination is 4 to 5 days in Germany. Experienced hobby gardeners therefore help with manual pollination and transfer the pollen with a soft brush.

fruit

Following pollination, female flowers turn into crunchy pistachios. Contrary to popular belief, these are stone fruits and not nuts. The following table lists important fruit properties:

The crop yield is characterized by extreme fluctuations. As a rule, each fattening year is followed by a low-yield year, as we do with domestic ones acorns, beechnuts and know chestnuts.

Plant a pistachio tree

For pistachio cultivation in the hobby garden, it is advisable to buy a grafted pistachio tree in a specialist shop. Shopping sources in Germany are few and far between. In spring there is a good chance that you will find what you are looking for at flora-tosakana.de or zitronenlust.de. You can find out when, where and how to plant a pistachio tree correctly in the following sections.

planting time

The best time to plant pistachios is mid-May to early June. After the ice saints, the danger of nightly ground frosts is over. For pistachio plants that have already been purchased, use the waiting time until planting to harden off. Place the trees in a bright, warm place during the day and put the plants back in the evening.

Location

In summer, the pistachio prefers a hot, dry desert climate for high-yield, healthy growth. All important site conditions at a glance:

• Full sun, warm to sweltering hot.
• Container plants preferably in a rain and wind-protected place on the balcony or terrace.
• In the conservatory or living room, ideally on the south side of the house.
• Planted out in regions of hardiness zones Z7 and Z8.
• Soil quality: well-drained, sandy-dry, calcareous, pH 7 and higher.

Plant in the bucket

In Germany, the pistachio is mainly grown in tubs. As a mobile container plant, you can easily change locations during late frosts or when moving to winter quarters. The optimal substrate is a mixture of potting soil and inorganic, coarse-grained additives for loose permeability. are well suited expanded clay, lava granules,(€14.00 at Amazon*) Sand or fine-grained grit.(€14.00 at Amazon*) Use some of the supplements as drainage on the bottom of the pot.

Plant in the bed

At a location with a Mediterranean microclimate, a pistachio tree can grow very large and very old. In the botanical garden of the University of Bonn you can admire a Pistacia Methusalem in the open air as living proof. When planting, please ensure a generous planting distance of at least three meters. Pistachio roots are very sensitive and do not tolerate transplanting well. Drainage in the planting hole made of grit or coarse sand is recommended.

digression

Pistacia dream couple Peter and Kerman

To harvest

Pistachios are harvested after a ripening period of about 4 months. The yellowish-reddish outer shells burst open, revealing the ripe pistachio kernels, which are covered in a pinkish-brown skin. For a premium quality harvest, it is important that the pistachios do not come into contact with soil. Spread a sheet or blanket under the pistachio tree and shake the trunk. Enjoy the delicious fruits fresh from the tree, roasted or salted.

Maintain pistachio tree

The pistachio tree is very easy to care for. Modest demands, slow growth and limited winter hardiness characterize the simple care program. Read the best tips for two pistachio plants in top shape here:

Pour

The water requirement is low. The greatest danger for a pistachio tree in Germany is waterlogging and not drought stress. How to properly water pistachio plants:

• Water potted plants when the substrate has dried significantly.
• Run normal tap water onto the ground until the first drops run into the saucer.
• If in doubt, spray the leaves with lime-free water and only water the next day.
• Pour out the water-filled coaster promptly so that no waterlogging forms.

Freshly planted pistachios in the bed depend on regular watering during the first year when it is dry. You don't have to water an older, planted pistachio tree at all. In sandy, well-drained soil, the roots can grow up to 15 meters long and easily reach the groundwater.

Fertilize

Fertilize Plant pistachios in containers from April to September with an organic Organic fertilizer for fruits and vegetables. Add the liquid fertilizer to the irrigation water every 14 days. Bedding pistachios fertilize with compost and in March and June horn shavings.(€9.00 at Amazon*)

hibernate

Blossom induction on the pistachio tree requires 1000 hours at an average temperature of 7° Celsius to break the bud dormancy. This is the essential premise for the perfect winter quarters. How to overwinter a pistachio plant correctly:

• Put the tubs in October, at the latest before the first frost.
• Pistachio tree bright or low-light overwinter at 5° to 8° Celsius (+/- 5° Celsius)
• Water very sparingly.
• Do not fertilize from October to March.
• Potential winter quarters: unheated conservatory, garage, stairwell, winter tent with frost guard.

Outdoors you can grow a pistachio tree like a pomegranate tree or overwinter an olive. Cover the crown with a breathable, translucent winter fleece. mulching you the tree disc 15 cm to 20 cm tall with foliage, bark mulch, straw and needle sticks. To protect against frost cracks, wrap the trunk with jute ribbons.

repot

When the roots grow out from under the bottom of the pot, you should repot the pistachio tree. The best time is in the spring when the plant leaves its winter quarters. Rinse the old substrate under running water so as not to injure the delicate roots. Because pistachios grow so slowly, this care measure is rarely on the agenda.

multiply

The pistachio tree, which is otherwise so easy to care for, becomes stubborn when it multiplies. Cuttings are annoyingly slow to root. Somewhat promising for hobby gardeners is the sowing from Pistachio Seeds. The following key data must be observed:

• Time window: all year round, ideally after the harvest (only fresh pistachio nuts germinate reliably).
• pretreatment: Soak seeds in lukewarm water or chamomile tea for 2 to 3 days.
• seed depth: Light germinators only cover half with substrate.
• seed soil: coconut soil or cactus soil With lava granules and sand.
• germination temperature: 18° to 22° Celsius on a bright window seat.
• germination time: 4 to 6 weeks.

For hobby gardeners with many years of experience, propagating cuttings is worth trying. To cut In early summer, take semi-lignified cuttings, two-thirds of which you defoliate and plant in permeable coconut soil.

Popular Varieties

In addition to the premium varieties Pistacia vera 'Peter' and Pistacia versa 'Kerman', there are other offers on the market for hobby gardeners who want to grow pistachios themselves:

• Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus): evergreen shrub for containers or planted out in regions with mild winters.
• Chinese pistachio tree (Pistacia chinensis): Ornamental variety with bright yellow autumn colors and red, peppercorn-sized fruits that are not edible.
• Mount Atlas Pistachio (Pistacia atlantica): deciduous or semi-evergreen pistachio tree, up to 7 m tall.
• Turpentine pistachio (Pistacia terebinthus): richly branched tree or shrub, light yellow flower spikes up to 20 cm long, beautiful pinnate leaves with an aromatic fragrance.

FAQ

Is the pistachio tree hardy?

A pistachio tree is conditionally hardy, because it tolerates temperatures below freezing point down to -10° Celsius for a short time. For outdoor cultivation, the pistachio is primarily suitable for locations in hardiness zones 7 and 8, such as the mild winter Rhineland. Planting in tubs is recommended in all other regions of Germany.

Where can you buy a pistachio tree in Germany?

Purchasing sources for pistacia vera are few and far between in Germany. We looked around for you and found two competent suppliers for pre-grown pistachio plants: flora-toskana.com and zitronenlust.de enjoy good customer ratings. The latter is also represented on Amazon. sunshine-seeds.de has earned a good reputation for buying high-quality pistacia seeds.

How do pistachios grow?

Pistachios grow as dioecious trees or shrubs with conditional hardiness. Female flowers turn into edible drupes within four months of being wind-pollinated. Pistachio plants are naturally evergreen. In the Central European climate, the trees shed their leaves. Planted Pistacia reach a height of up to 12 meters. Container plants grow 3 to 5 meters tall.