The tree grows up to 10 m (33 ft) tall. Itsleaves are 10–20 centimeters (4–8 inches) long.
The fruit is astone fruit. Only theseed is edible. The fruit has a hard, cream-colored exterior shell. The seed has a mauve-colored skin and light green flesh. When the fruit ripens, the shell goes from green to yellow or red and splits a bit open.[3] Different varieties split differently.
Pistachio trees can give 50 kilograms (110 lb) of seeds on average every two years.[4]
The shell of the pistachio is naturally abeige color, but it is sometimes dyed red or green. It is thought thatdye was used by importers to hide stains on the shells when the seeds were picked by hand.[5] Most pistachios are now picked by machine and the shells do not have stains.
↑Participants of the FFI/IUCN SSC Central Asian regional tree Red Listing workshop, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (11–13 July 2006) (2007).Pistacia vera. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2007: e.T63497A12670823.doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2007.RLTS.T63497A12670823.en
↑Towards a comprehensive documentation and use of Pistacia genetic diversity in Central and West Asia, North Africa and Europe, Report of the IPGRI Workshop, 14–17 December 1998, Irbid, Jordan – S.Padulosi and A. Hadj-Hassan, editors
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