Name: Pistachio;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; 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:
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