Pistachio
Pistachio: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
The pistachio tree, Pistacia vera, is a deciduous member of the Anacardiaceae family, native to western Asia. It is best known for its edible seeds, pistachios, but also has a lasting presence in a garden. Its branching outline and leaves composed of leaflets change with the seasons, followed by a dormant period after leaf fall. This is a fruit tree whose development takes place over several years.The pistachio that we eat is the seed inside a fruit. A fleshy outer hull surrounds a hard shell, which protects the edible kernel. This distinction explains why a fruit on the tree does not look exactly like a pistachio sold in its shell. The kernel generally has green to yellow-green colouring beneath a thin skin. Fruits grow in clusters on the branches, and not every shell necessarily opens when the fruit matures.The small flowers appear in spring on separate male and female trees.…
