Pistachio, << pihs TAH shee oh or pihs TASH ee oh, >> nut sometimes called a green almond, is the small seed of the pistachio tree. This tree grows in the eastern Mediterranean region, in southwestern Asia, and in the southwestern United States. Growers in California produce millions of pounds of pistachio nuts each year. A pistachio nut may be 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) long. It has a smooth, thin, and hard shell that tends to open at the edge. Its thin, smooth husk, or skin, is pale red to yellow. The husk is removed before the kernel is processed. The kernel may be eaten as a nut or ground and used as a food flavoring and coloring. The kernel’s texture is very fine. Pistachio kernels can be salted while in the shell by placing them in a salty solution. In southwestern Asia and the eastern Mediterranean region, the kernels are pressed for their oil.
The pistachio tree grows well in dry regions. It seldom rises over 30 feet (9 meters) high, but its branches spread widely. Its leaves, which produce a sticky resin, drop off during the winter.
Every pistachio tree is either male or female. In order to produce nuts, the female trees must have a male tree nearby to provide pollen for their flowers.
