Pistachio nuts are getting a lot of press these days. Not only are they the lowest calorie of the nuts, but they are rich in phytosterols, antioxidants, unsaturated fat (the good stuff), carotenoids, vitamins and minerals, fiber and are just plain delicious. If that isn’t enough information to entice one to grow pistachio nut trees, I don’t know what will. There are 11 species of pistachio nut trees with only Pistacia vera being grown commercially. It’s uncertain where pistachio nut trees originated, but possibly in Central Asia. Growing pistachio trees commercially for nut export occurs primarily in Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Italy and Syria where the arid climate is optimal for growth.
