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Almond tree (Prunus dulcis)

Diputación de Málaga
Almendro en flor, Villanueva del Rosario. Sierra Norte de Málaga

Almond tree (Prunus dulcis)

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Flowering
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Flowers Fruits
Plant Life > Trees, Bushes and Herbaceous Plants

IDENTIFICATION

It is a small tree (up to 10 m high), with a sinuous trunk and a greyish bark, which can be scaly in old specimens.  In these trees, the bark also exhibits "lenticels" or dark grey spots.  The leaves are green, shiny, without fur, elongated and narrow; they only widen a little on the base part. The flowers are set in a solitary way or in groups of 2 to 4 specimens of a white colour or somewhat pink. It flourishes very early, before the leaves sprout, sometimes in winter. The fruits (almonds) are dry, of an oval shape and have two covers.  The most external one is fleshy, covered by fur and of a green colour. The most internal one is woody with plenty of pinholes.  Inside the fruit, there is a comestible seed.

WHERE DOES IT LIVE?

It is a typically Mediterranean tree, growing in areas where winter is mild and humid. It is able to bear up to -20 C during winter, as well as warm summers with scarce rainfalls. It can survive with up to 600 mm yearly rainfall. It is indifferent to the ground's composition.

HOW DOES IT LIVE?

It is a monoic species (male and female flowers in a single tree). Most of the almond trees are self sterile; hence they need to have other specimens in their surroundings to reproduce. The pollination is entomophil and mostly performed by bees.  Seven or eight months later, the fruits ripen. 

WHERE CAN WE SEE IT IN MÁLAGA?

It is a common species in the province. It appears in the whole province, although it is especially noticeable in the Malaga Mountains, the Axarquia, the Ronda mountain ranges, Guatalteba and in the area of Monda-Guaro-Tolox.  In the Great Path, we can find it in stages 1 to 3, 7 to 10, 19 to 22 and 35.

CURIOUS FACTS

The word almond comes from the Hebrew and means "the one who wakes up". The name of almond tree refers to the fact that it is the first one flourishing, so it is supposed that spring is waking up. The almond tree's seeds produce a fine oil with multiple properties. It is used to make emulsions for medicines, massage oils and other preparations for the skin. Moreover, they are comestible and very appreciated. For Christmas, they are used to prepare the typical sweets of this period. As we walk in the streets of some cities like Antequera in Christmas, we can notice the smell released by the toasted almond imbuing the atmosphere. No less famous is the sale of roasted and salted almonds in the Malaga center streets. The name of tonsils comes from the almond term; as they are shaped like this fruit.

SIMILAR SPECIES

It can be mistaken with other rosacea cultivated species, like plum, cherry or peach trees. To differentiate it, we have to observe the trunk, as it is the only species having lenticels or little spots on its surface.

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