Pistachio

Common Name(s): Pistachio

Scientific Name: Pistacia vera

Distribution: Native to Iran, also cultivated in the 

Mediterranean and Middle East regions, and California

Tree Size: 20-30 ft (6-10 m) tall, 6-12 in (15-30 cm) trunk diameter

Average Dried Weight: 54 lbs/ft3 (865 kg/m3)*

Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): .68, .87*

*Estimated values based on limited samples

Janka Hardness: 1,930 lbf (8,590 N)

Modulus of Rupture: No data available

Elastic Modulus: No data available

Crushing Strength: No data available

Shrinkage: No data available

Color/Appearance: Heartwood color can be highly variable, from a light olive green to an orangish or purplish brown, frequently with darker brown to black stripes. Pale yellow/gray sapwood is moderately wide and is demarcated from the heartwood. Similar to orchard-grown Claro Walnut, some sections of Pistachio can be found with graft lines present in the wood where the scion has been grafted onto the rootstock.

Grain/Texture: Because of the small size of the tree, the grain tends to be wild or irregular, with bark inclusions also common.

Endgrain: Ring-porous or semi-ring-porous; earlywood one to three rows wide, latewood in diagonal to tangential bands; medium to large pores, moderately numerous; tyloses mineral/gum deposits occasionally present; parenchyma not visible with lens, sometimes marginal; narrow to medium rays, spacing normal.

Rot Resistance: No data available.

Workability: No data available.

Odor: Has a mild odor when being worked.

Allergies/Toxicity: Although parts of the Pistachio tree and nut have been reported to cause skin irritation, there have been no direct reports on the toxicity or allergenicity of the actual wood. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.