Could I Eat the Red Berries of a Chinese Pistachio Tree?
They look as shiny and red as the apple Eve tasted in Eden, which ought to provide you a hint about the wisdom of eating the grasses of a Chinese pistachio (Pistacia chinensis). The tree is just a backyard jewel, a lovely ornamental with astounding fall colors, but the fruit ought to be eaten only by birds.
Blockbuster Beauty
The Oriental pistachio tree could possibly be described as the fairly sister, planted for its looks as opposed to its crop. It generally grows approximately 30 feet tall and wide, offering an umbrella canopy thick with shady green leaves that blush vibrant scarlet in fall. Some cultivars shoot around 65 feet. Sun loving, simple to care for and drought resistant, the cosmetic pistachio is a desirable addition to a backyard in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 9.
Inedible Fruit
Male and female Chinese pistachio trees blossom in April. Female trees, even if planted close enough to a man tree for pollination, produce a abundance of berries as red as Rudolph’s nose, which turn blue as winter progresses. You can not eat them, but your local birds partake happily. Gardeners with little kids may prefer to plant a sterile male cultivar, such as “Keith Davey.”
Invasive possible
The Oriental pistachio’s berries are drupes used by the tree to spread. Birds can carry the seeds far and wide, which has enabled this shrub to invade wild locations.