I would first check to see if they are invasive (spreading via seed into the wild) before planting. Here's a link to a TX invasives website, and at the bottom of the page there are links to maps that show where so you can check to see if they are a problem in your part of TX.

Hopefully, others who know your area will have alternative suggestions if it is an issue in your area.

Another resource is the Garden Watchdog, a database that allows gardeners to rate mail order vendors. It will let you know if a particular mail order source has frequent issues with customers.

looking for information .... on the WWW ... you are best off using the latin name .... this would also include looking for info as noted in the reply above ...

imo ... if a website doesnt use latin ... its one black mark about how they do business ...

ken

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Chinese+Pistache&t=ffcm&ia=about

Do the nurseries specify a male from a female tree? I would assume the females are the culprits for being invasive because of the seeds. The fall color looks gorgeous.....would like to try one tree to see if it was indeed as beautiful as the photos I have seen. Forest Farm is a reputable nursery - will check them out. If anyone has any photos to share, would appreciate it! Thanks!

Judith

You can find these at Lowe's and Walmart during the growing season. There is one in my town that is Gorgeous!

'Keith Davey' is a fruitless male clone, readily available in nurseries here, likely on line as well.

They are street trees here. We have both male and female. One drops the pollen clusters for about a week in Spring, and the other has the beautiful clusters of red seeds that crunch line popcorn on the sidewalks in Fall. I like them both! The narrow leaves in Fall are easy to pick up with the lawnower. Not invasive here. Even in unkept yards I haven't seen seedlings sprouting. Here's a pic from a few minutes ago.

-Babka

They are not invasive here (CA) because we have no summer rain.

Sara- Can you explain why you think that? On my street all the Chinese Pistache trees are in lawns that get watered. We don't have the parking strip like the ones a couple blocks over in the photo.

-Babka

Because invading watered lawns doesn't count as being invasive?

They are planted purposely by the city in the easement in the lawn area . They are not invading them. I have ever seen seedlings in lawns or anywhere for that matter.

-Babka

David nobody waters much lawn around here. Pocket handkerchief sized plots. And if a seedling shows up in a lawn, the mower will take care of it right quick.

Everyone waters around here these days. The winter rains would sprout those seeds if they were going to sprout. We get many liquid amber and tulip tree sprouts show up from a block away, but no Pistache. These are street trees 50 years old and no sprouts. Sara, where are you? I'm in Sunnyvale. Which part about being NON INVASIVE did I neglect to say?

-Babka

Gosh, there seems to be something of a recent epidemic of people being at crosscurrents on gardenweb.

Sara was addressing the overall reason of why Texas might call it invasive while CA would not. Babka, you seem to be comparing to seedlings of other species you see in your own neighborhood. Both valid viewpoints. Can we just move on now?

And, for the record, I think the trees in Babka's picture are pretty...but beauty is in the eye of the beholder! Maybe they don't look as good in treehugger's area, for some reason?

Babka I'm in Sonoma County. We're taking out lawns like crazy (I've never had one). I've never seen Pistachia seedlings around and many areas use these as street trees here, too (there is a strip of them on Highway 12 between Santa Rosa and Sonoma that takes ones breath away when backlit in the autumn). Not sure why they are considered invasive in Texas. Usually the issue is our Mediterranean climate. I grow Ampelopsis and Fallopia, which are two of the most invasive plants known but they cannot escape my garden (or even their drip zone) because they can't get far without water!

I don't view this as a crosscurrent; I think that this is interesting. Why are they invasive in Texas and not in irrigated CA?

Maybe they need hot Texas summers to produce viable seed?

"I don't view this as a crosscurrent"

Well Sara, anyone resorting to ALL CAPS seems like a warning sign lol.

It's quite possible the heat has something to do with it.

First time I've heard the term "crosscurrent". Is there a problem with differing points of view? I used the caps for emphasis. Geez, I hope the OP found a nice seedless specimen tree.

-Babka

Babka I took no offense. I do think that it is an interesting question. I can't make my mind up about this tree. The fall color is breathtaking but I do not like the structure of the tree or its appearance up close. I need to find a good spot to plant one far enough away and where it will be back lit from the house.

Sara, that is exactly what I did with my two Keith Davey pistache trees (which I ordered from Forest Farm 4-5 years ago). I planted them about 80' SW of my house so I can see them backlit when I get home from work in the fall. They are spectacular in the fall but they have a pretty janky limb layout/structure and their bark is pretty blah

Thanks! Good to have the reinforcement. Now I have to go out and scout for a location!

Thanks for all the good information! I am wondering - does the male vs. female tree have better fall foliage or is there any difference? I am not worried about it being invasive [after dealing with tallow trees, nothing could be that bad!] I live in east Texas - we generally get good rain. Was going to put it in my large front yard with other trees, but this might not be the best idea. If it likes full all day sun, I have a good spot in mind behind my horse barn where it would be visible from a distance.

No gender color differences that I'm aware of. They are all very nice.

I've seen them do well in full sun and in forest canopyopenings like in my local park

I'd go for the spot where you view it from a distance. I don't think that the fall foliage color differs on male vs female trees, but the females have copious berries which change the look a bit. They are pretty but add to the tree's already somewhat ungainly look.

Sounds like the male would be better suited for me. Don't think all the berries would be the look I want - just the brilliant leaves in fall. Going to check with Lowe's first....but Forest Farm has a good reputation, going to check with them. Wish I knew where I could view one "in person".