PLANT FOCUS | CHINESE PISTACHIO

Backyards are getting smaller. Summers are getting hotter. So it makes sense that medium-sized shade trees are having their time in the sun. The Chinese Pistachio is one of my favourite such trees, adding beautiful amenity to the garden and streetscape, whilst also being a useful ecological player.

Of course, Lagerstroemia sp. and Acer palmatum are long-time favourites for compact gardens - but if you're after performance, not just prettiness, Pistacia chinensis is hard to beat. It ticks all the boxes modern gardens ask for: manageable height, proper summer shade, and drought tolerance once it's settled in. But the real magic happens in autumn, when the foliage glows a vibrant scarlet and orange, with touches of gold.

Growing conditions

Sun-loving and adaptable, this tree copes with most soil types - even heavier clays and alkaline spots that would make fussier species struggle. Like most hardy trees, it'll need a few seasons of regular watering to get established, but after that it can more or less look after itself.

In the garden

It tops out around 8-12 metres with a broad, rounded canopy - enough to give decent shade without crowding the neighbours. The growth habit becomes naturally neat with maturity, but young trees can be rebellious, and require structural pruning in their first few years to develop a well-balanced canopy. Once established, maintenance pruning is minimal.

For Melbourne gardens dealing with climate extremes and limited space, Pistacia chinensis rewards a little early investment with decades of reliable, low-maintenance performance.