Back Amandel Afrikaans አልመንድ Amharic Prunus dulcis AN لوز Arabic ܫܓܕܬܐ ARC Prunus dulcis AST Pakanicic ATJ Soyora (Prunus dulcis) AVK Adi badam Azerbaijani بادام AZB

Almond

For other uses, see Almond (disambiguation).

Almond
Clockwise from top left: almonds with shell cracked open, unshelled, shelled, and blanched seed
Branch of tree with green fruit
Almond tree with ripening fruit
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Prunus
Subgenus: Prunus subg. Amygdalus
Species:
P. amygdalus
Binomial name
Prunus amygdalus
Batsch, 1801
Synonyms[1][2]
Replaced syn.
    • Amygdalus communis L., 1753
Homotypic
    • Amygdalus amygdalus (Batsch) Frye & Rigg, 1912 nom. illeg.
    • Druparia amygdalus (Batsch) Clairv., 1811
    • Prunus communis (L.) Arcang., 1882 nom. illeg.
Heterotypic
    • Amygdalus amara Duhamel, 1768
    • Amygdalus amygdalina Oken ex M.Roem., 1847
    • Amygdalus cochinchinensis Lour., 1790
    • Amygdalus communis var. fragilis Ser., 1825
    • Amygdalus communis var. macrocarpa Ser., 1825
    • Amygdalus decipiens Poit. & Turpin, 1830
    • Amygdalus dulcis Mill., 1768
    • Amygdalus elata Salisb., 1796
    • Amygdalus korshinskyi var. bornmuelleri Browicz, 1974
    • Amygdalus sativa Mill., 1768
    • Amygdalus sinensis Steud., 1840
    • Amygdalus stocksiana Boiss., 1856
    • Persica Mill., 1754
    • Prunus cochinchinensis (Lour.) Koehne, 1915
    • Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A.Webb, 1967 nom. superfl.
    • Prunus dulcis var. amara (Duhamel) Buchheim, 1972
    • Prunus dulcis var. fragilis (Ser.) Buchheim, 1972
    • Prunus dulcis var. spontanea (Korsh.) Buchheim, 1972
    • Prunus intermedia A.Sav., 1882
    • Prunus stocksiana (Boiss.) Brandis, 1906
    • Trichocarpus Neck., 1790

The almond (Prunus amygdalus, syn. Prunus dulcis) is a species of tree from the genus Prunus. Along with the peach, it is classified in the subgenus Amygdalus, distinguished from the other subgenera by corrugations on the shell (endocarp) surrounding the seed.[3]

The fruit of the almond is a drupe, consisting of an outer hull and a hard shell with the seed, which is not a true nut.[4] Shelling almonds refers to removing the shell to reveal the seed. Almonds are sold shelled or unshelled. Blanched almonds are shelled almonds that have been treated with hot water to soften the seedcoat, which is then removed to reveal the white embryo. Once almonds are cleaned and processed, they can be stored for around a year if kept refrigerated; at higher temperatures they will become rancid more quickly.[5] Almonds are used in many cuisines, often featuring prominently in desserts, such as marzipan.[4]

The almond tree prospers in a moderate Mediterranean climate with cool winter weather.[4] It is rarely found wild in its original setting.[6] Almonds were one of the earliest domesticated fruit trees, due to the ability to produce quality offspring entirely from seed, without using suckers and cuttings. Evidence of domesticated almonds in the Early Bronze Age has been found in the archeological sites of the Middle East, and subsequently across the Mediterranean region and similar arid climates with cool winters.

California produces about 80% of the world's almond supply.[4] Due to high acreage and water demand for almond cultivation, and need for pesticides, California almond production may be unsustainable, especially during the persistent drought and heat from climate change in the 21st century.[7] Droughts in California have caused some producers to leave the industry, leading to lower supply and increased prices.[7]

  1. ^ "Prunus amygdalus Batsch". Plants of the World Online. Kew Science. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  2. ^ "The Plant List, Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A.Webb". Archived from the original on 13 July 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  3. ^ "Almond Tree – Learn About Nature". 27 July 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d Petruzzello M (11 April 2024). "Almond – tree and nut". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  5. ^ "Do Almonds Go Bad? 3 Ways to Tell Almonds Are Spoiled". Alice's Kitchen. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  6. ^ G. Ladizinsky (1999). "On the origin of almond". Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 46 (2): 143–147. doi:10.1023/A:1008690409554. S2CID 25141013.
  7. ^ a b "Climate Change In California Is Threatening The World's Top Almond Producer". NPR. Associated Press. 17 August 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2022.

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