Climate matters. This page is a practical baseline. Confirm cultivar, local frost/heat conditions, mature size and regional restrictions before planting.
Pistachio — Growing reference
| Scientific name | Pistacia vera |
|---|---|
| First harvest or flowering (days) | 2555–4380 |
| Measured from | Transplant |
| Plant spacing (cm) | 609.6–914.4 |
| Mature height (cm) | 365.8–914.4 |
| Mature spread (cm) | 365.8–762 |
| USDA hardiness zones | 7–11 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Water | Low |
| Sowing method | Transplant |
Growing directions
Pistachio is dioecious — you must plant at least one male tree (typically Peters variety) for every 8–10 female trees; pollen is wind-carried. The tree requires 700–1000 chill hours in winter and blisteringly hot, dry summers (100°F+ is ideal) to ripen nuts properly, making it poorly suited to humid or mild-summer climates. Trees are extremely drought-tolerant and actually prefer alkaline, well-drained soils. Nuts are ready when hulls turn from green to red-pink and slip off easily; harvest by shaking limbs and collect nuts off tarps laid below.
Source and local conditions
Typical planning ranges from OpenPlantDB (CC0). Cultivar, climate, season and growing method can change these values. Confirm the seed label and local guidance before planting.
Source & verification
OpenPlantDB · CC0