Almond

The almond (Prunus amygdalus, syn. Prunus dulcis) is a species of tree native to Iran and surrounding countries,[4] including the Levant.[5] The almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within the genus Prunus, it is classified with the peach in the subgenus Amygdalus, distinguished from the other subgenera by corrugations on the shell (endocarp) surrounding the seed.[6]

Quick facts: Almond, Scientific classification , Binomial ... ▼

Almond
1897 illustration[1]
Almond tree with ripening nuts.
Scientific 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[2][3]
Replaced syn. Amygdalus communis L., 1753 Homotypic Amygdalus amygdalus (Batsch) Frye & Rigg, 1912 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 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. 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 over time. Almonds are used in many food cuisines, often featuring prominently in desserts, such as marzipan.

The almond tree prospers in a moderate Mediterranean climate with cool winter weather. California produces over half of the world's almond supply. 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]