Adaptation and Nutrition
Pistacia
vera grows best if it receives lots of sunlight, little
rainfall, and a cool winter. This species lives in tropical climates and has adapted to its environment well. The trees are usually short and only reach
about 10m
in height and about 10m in width. A shorter
tree has less tissue to hydrate so being short is a
plus since little
rain is observed where the tree resides.
The pistachio has also adapted to the climate by developing a tap root. The taproot helps utilize water deep in the soil and helps prevent dehydration when the drought is hardy.
For optimal growth, the pistachio tree requires drastic temperature variations. This tough tree can tolerate temperatures as low as –18ºC and as high as 40 ºC. The plant requires 600-1800 hours of “chilling” where the temperature falls bellow –6 ºC. Pistachio tree growing on rough land
This enduring plant can survive rough conditions where the soil is stony, highly alkaline, slightly acidic or even saline, but it does prefer soil that is at a pH of 7.8. Although these tress can take a lot of abuse, they can not tolerate an environment that is moist. Moisture is the number one killer of the pistachio tree.
To find out more about how moisture kills this organism see Interactions with Others