Description:

An attractive fruit tree with showy pink to white flowers in late winter to spring followed by edible nuts that are widely used commercially; quite ornamental; needs full sun, well-drained soil and a pollinator; flowers can be damaged by spring frost

Edible Qualities

Almond is a small tree that is typically grown for its edible qualities. It produces coppery-bronze oval seeds in soft shells with tan overtones and white flesh which are harvested from late summer to early fall. The seeds have a mild taste with a hard texture and a distinctive fragrance.

The seeds are most often used in the following ways:

• Fresh Eating
• Eating When Cooked/Prepared
• Cooking
• Baking

Features & Attributes

Almond features showy clusters of fragrant white flowers with scarlet eyes and pink anthers along the branches from late winter to early spring, which emerge from distinctive shell pink flower buds before the leaves. It has green deciduous foliage. The pointy leaves turn yellow and orange in fall.

This is a deciduous tree with a more or less rounded form. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition. This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Messy
• Insects
• Disease

Aside from its primary use as an edible, Almond is sutiable for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Shade
• Hedges/Screening
• Orchard/Edible Landscaping

Planting & Growing

Almond will grow to be about 15 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 3 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more. This variety requires a different selection of the same species growing nearby in order to set fruit.

This tree is typically grown in a designated area of the yard because of its mature size and spread. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in sandy soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. This species is not originally from North America.