Types/Grades/Sizes

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PISTACHIOS

Latin Name: Pistacia vera

Family: Anarcardia

Discovery: The Pistachio is native to the islands of the Mediterranean in the west to India in the east and was distributed throughout the Mediterranean by the Romans. Only in the current century has the crop been introduced away from its centre of natural distribution. In the late 1970’s the commercial production of Pistachios began. Major areas of Pistachio production are Turkey, Iran, Syria, California, Greece and India.

Height: A Pistachio tree can reach a maximum height of between 8-10 m.

Nut production: After an indefinite number of years, Pistachio trees ultimately produce a heavy crop one year followed by little or none the next year.

The Fruit: The wrinkled fruits, red in colour are borne in heavy clusters. The kernel is protected by a thin ivory-coloured bony shell. This shell splits when the fruit is mature.

Harvest and processing: When the husk becomes relatively loose, the nuts are harvested. This is done by shaking the tree. With a single shaking, the majority of the nuts will fall and can easily be caught on a canvas. A single tree can produce 23 kg of nuts in one year.

Nutritional information: