PISTACHIO FACTS
PISTACHIO FACTS
Pistachio nuts are dry fruits of species of trees belonging in the Anacardiaceae family, in the genus: Pistacia. The plant is a medium sized broad, bushy, dioecious, deciduous tree, believed to be originating in the mountain ranges of West-Asian region. Several cultivars exist; however, the
most popular variety grown for the commercial purpose is the kerman.
Pistachios grow well under hot, dry climates with cool winters. They are currently being cultivated in large scale in the orchards in the USA, Iran, Syria, Turkey, and China. After plantation, it takes approximately eight to ten years until it produces its first major crop. Once established, it keepsbearing fruits for centuries.
The fruit, in fact, is a drupe (fruit with a large, central located single seed), and its seed kernel is actually the edible portion. Each season, the tree bears heavy clusters of fruits, which appear somewhat like that of a grape bunch. On the exterior, the mature fruit features hard, off-white color shell which splits apart exposing yellow-light green, oblong shape kernel inside. Pistachio kernel measures about 1 inch in length and 1/2 inch in diameter and weighs about 0.7-1 gm.
