Chinese Pistache: A Top Small Tree for Fall Color

Chinese pistache (Pistacia chinensis) reaches only 25 feet tall and delivers spectacular yellow autumn foliage—Dr. Michael Dirr calls it the closest rival to sugar maple in the South. It transplants easily, tolerates diverse soils, and is generally trouble-free.

Watch for young trees trying to form multiple trunks. Buy a single-stem specimen and tip-prune any low, upright shoots to encourage a clean, outward-branching canopy.