Pistacia vera

General Information
Don't think that there's only one variety of pistachio. There are round ones, long ones, red ones and green ones.

The pistachio tree is a high tree that requires well-drained soil and hot summers (above 30° C) and cold winters (-7° C). It begins to produce after six years, though only reaches maturity after 12 years. Documents place its origins in western Asia and Asia Minor, where it was known as far back as 7000 BC.

Culinary file 
You'll find plain, roasted and salted pistachios on the market.  Middle Easterners eat the most: they use them in baking and pastries but you'll also find a bowl of pistachios in every Middle Eastern home for nibbling at any time of the day.