View source for Almond

{{short description|Species of nut}}
{{Other uses}}
{{pp|small=yes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Almonds - in shell, shell cracked open, shelled, blanched.jpg
| image_caption = Almond in shell, shell cracked open, unshelled and blanched seed
| image_upright = 1.3
| image2 = Ametllesjuliol.jpg
| image2_caption = Almond tree with ripening nuts.
| image2_alt = Branch of tree with green fruits.
| genus = Prunus
| parent = Prunus subg. Amygdalus
| species = amygdalus
| authority = [[Batsch]], 1801
| synonyms_ref =<ref name="powo">{{cite web |title=''Prunus amygdalus'' Batsch |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:60439867-2 |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Kew Science |access-date=8 August 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/rjp-375 |title=The Plant List, ''Prunus dulcis'' (Mill.) D.A.Webb |access-date=3 February 2016 |archive-date=13 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713181247/http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/rjp-375 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| synonyms = {{collapsible list |title=Replaced syn.|{{species list
|Amygdalus communis|[[L.]], 1753
}}}}{{collapsible list |title=Homotypic|{{species list
|Amygdalus amygdalus |(Batsch) Frye & Rigg, 1912
|Druparia amygdalus |(Batsch) Clairv., 1811
|Prunus communis |(L.) Arcang., 1882 [[nom. illeg.]]
}}}}{{collapsible list |title=Heterotypic|{{species list
|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''''', [[Synonym (taxonomy)#Botany|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 ([[Fruit anatomy#Endocarp|endocarp]]) surrounding the seed.<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 July 2016 |title=Almond Tree – Learn About Nature |url=https://www.learnaboutnature.com/plants/trees/almond-tree/ |access-date=2022-04-08 |language=en-US}}</ref>

The fruit of the almond is a [[drupe]], consisting of an outer hull and a [[Pyrena|hard shell]] with the seed, which is not a [[nut (fruit)|true nut]].<ref name="eb">{{cite web |vauthors=Petruzzello M |title=Almond – tree and nut |url=https://www.britannica.com/plant/almond |publisher=Encyclopedia Britannica |access-date=25 April 2024 |date=11 April 2024}}</ref> ''Shelling'' almonds refers to removing the shell to reveal the seed. Almonds are sold shelled or unshelled. [[Blanching (cooking)|Blanched]] almonds are shelled almonds that have been treated with hot water to soften the [[seed]]coat, 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 cuisines, often featuring prominently in desserts, such as [[marzipan]].<ref name=eb/>

The almond tree prospers in a moderate [[Mediterranean climate]] with cool winter weather.<ref name=eb/> Almond is rarely found wild in its original setting.<ref name=ladizinsky99>{{cite journal|title=On the origin of almond|author=G. Ladizinsky|s2cid=25141013|journal=Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution|volume= 46|year=1999|pages= 143–147|doi=10.1023/A:1008690409554|issue= 2}}</ref> 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.

[[Almond cultivation in California|California produces]] about 80% of the world's almond supply.<ref name=eb/> Due to high acreage and water demand for almond cultivation, and need for [[pesticide]]s, [[California Almond Growers|California almond]] production may be unsustainable, especially during the persistent drought and heat from [[Climate change in California|climate change]] in the 21st century.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=17 August 2021 |title=Climate Change In California Is Threatening The World's Top Almond Producer |language=en |work=NPR |agency=Associated Press|url=https://www.npr.org/2021/08/17/1028452988/climate-change-california-drought-heat-almond-production |access-date=2022-05-21}}</ref> [[Droughts in California]] have caused some producers to leave the industry, leading to lower supply and increased prices.<ref name=":0" />

== Description ==

The almond is a [[deciduous]] tree growing to {{convert|3|-|4.5|m|0|abbr=off}} in height,<ref name=eb/><ref>{{Cite book |last=U.S. Department of the Army |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T2p7DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA10 |title=The Official U.S. Army Illustrated Guide to Edible Wild Plants |publisher=[[Lyons Press]] |year=2019 |isbn=978-1-4930-4039-1 |location=Guilford, CT |pages=10 |oclc=1043567121}}</ref> with a trunk of up to {{convert|30|cm|0|abbr=off}} in diameter. The young [[twig]]s are green at first, becoming purplish where exposed to sunlight, then gray in their second year. The [[leaves]] are {{convert|3|-|5|in|cm|0|abbr=on|order=flip}} long,<ref>Bailey, L.H.; Bailey, E.Z.; the staff of the Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. ''Hortus third: A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada''. Macmillan, New York.</ref> with a serrated margin and a {{convert|2.5|cm|0|abbr=on}} [[Petiole (botany)|petiole]].

The fragrant [[flower]]s are white to pale pink, {{convert|3|-|5|cm|0|abbr=on}} diameter with five petals, produced singly or in pairs and appearing before the leaves in early spring.<ref name=eb/><ref name=rushforth>{{cite book|last=Rushforth |first=Keith |title=Collins wildlife trust guide trees: a photographic guide to the trees of Britain and Europe |publisher=Harper Collins |location=London |year=1999 |isbn=0-00-220013-9}}</ref><ref name=rhs>{{cite book |last=Griffiths |first=Mark D. |author2=Anthony Julian Huxley |title=The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening |publisher=Macmillan Press |location=London |year=1992 |isbn=0-333-47494-5}}</ref> Almond trees thrive in Mediterranean climates with warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters.<ref name=eb/> The optimal temperature for their growth is between {{convert|15|and|30|C|F}} and the tree buds have a [[chilling requirement]] of 200 to 700 hours below {{convert|7.2|°C|°F|abbr=on}} to break dormancy.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Fruit Cultural Data — P – California Rare Fruit Growers, Inc.|url=https://crfg.org/home/library/crfg-fruit-list/fruit-cultural-data-2/fruit-cultural-data-p/|access-date=2020-06-12|language=en-US|archive-date=19 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220319062538/https://crfg.org/home/library/crfg-fruit-list/fruit-cultural-data-2/fruit-cultural-data-p/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Almonds begin bearing an economic crop in the third year after planting. Trees reach full bearing five to six years after planting. The fruit matures in the autumn, 7–8 months after flowering.<ref name=rhs/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://coststudies.ucdavis.edu/files/almondvs08sprink.pdf |title=University of California Sample Cost Study to Produce Almonds |access-date=17 March 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326084336/http://coststudies.ucdavis.edu/files/almondvs08sprink.pdf |archive-date=26 March 2012 }}</ref>

The almond fruit is {{cvt|3.5|-|6|cm|in|frac=8}} long. It is not a [[nut (fruit)|nut]] but a [[drupe]]. The outer covering, consisting of an outer [[exocarp]], or skin, and [[mesocarp]], or flesh, fleshy in other members of ''Prunus'' such as the [[plum]] and [[cherry]], is instead a thick, leathery, gray-green coat (with a downy exterior), called the hull. Inside the hull is a woody [[endocarp]] which forms a reticulated, hard shell (like the outside of a peach pit) called the [[pyrena]]. Inside the shell is the edible seed, commonly called a nut.<ref name=eb/> Generally, one seed is present, but occasionally two occur. After the fruit matures, the hull splits and separates from the shell, and an [[abscission layer]] forms between the stem and the fruit so that the fruit can fall from the tree.<ref>{{cite web |first=David |last=Doll |date=22 June 2009 |title=The Seasonal Patterns of Almond Production |url=https://thealmonddoctor.com/2009/06/22/the-seasonal-patterns-of-almond-production/ |website=The Almond Doctor |publisher=University of California Cooperative Extension |access-date=14 August 2018 |archive-date=14 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814142153/https://thealmonddoctor.com/2009/06/22/the-seasonal-patterns-of-almond-production/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> During harvest, mechanized tree shakers are  used to expedite fruits falling to the ground for collection.<ref name=eb/>
{{gallery|mode=packed
|بادام و شکوفه بادام.JPG|Almond blossoms
|Kulturmandel unreife Früchte.JPG|Young almond fruit
|Green almonds.jpg|Green almonds
|Madrigueras (20578932389) (cropped).jpg|Mature almond nut
|Almond shell.jpg|Almond shell
|Almond with two kernels.jpg|A rare double-seeded shell
|Almonds.png|Harvested almonds
|Blanched almonds.jpg|[[Blanching (cooking)|Blanched]] almonds
|title=Gallery of almond}}

== Taxonomy ==
=== Sweet and bitter almonds ===
[[File:شکوفه سفید بادام.jpg|thumb|Almond blossom]]
[[File:Rose ringed Parakeet in bitter Almond.jpg|thumb|Blossoming of bitter almond tree]]

The seeds of ''Prunus dulcis'' var. ''dulcis'' are predominantly sweet<ref>{{cite web|last=Karl-Franzens-Universität (Graz)|title=Almond (Prunus dulcis [Mill.] D. A. Webb.)|url=http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Prun_dul.html|access-date=10 April 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514021042/http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Prun_dul.html|archive-date=14 May 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Almond and bitter almond|url=http://www.chow.com/ingredients/265|work=from Quirk Books: www.quirkbooks.com|access-date=8 April 2011| archive-url= https://archive.today/20110511175227/http://www.chow.com/ingredients/265| archive-date= 11 May 2011 <!-- Bot inserted parameter. Either remove it; or change its value to "." for the cite to end in a ".", as necessary. -->| url-status= live}}</ref> but some individual trees produce seeds that are somewhat more bitter.<ref name="eb" /> The genetic basis for bitterness involves a single gene, the bitter flavor furthermore being [[Dominance (genetics)|recessive]],<ref>{{cite journal |last=Heppner |first=Myer J |date=7 April 1923 |title=The factor for bitterness in the sweet almond |journal=Genetics |volume=8 |issue=4 |pages=390–392 |doi=10.1093/genetics/8.4.390 |pmc=1200758 |pmid=17246020}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Dicenta |first1=Federico |last2=Ortega |first2=Encarnacion |last3=Martinez-Gomez |first3=Pedro |s2cid=9893400 |date=January 2007 |title=Use of recessive homozygous genotypes to assess genetic control of kernel bitterness in almond |journal=Euphytica |publisher=Springer |volume=153 |issue=1–2 |pages=221–225 |doi=10.1007/s10681-006-9257-6 }}<!--|access-date=4 March 2014--></ref> both aspects making this trait easier to domesticate. The fruits from ''Prunus dulcis'' var. ''amara'' are always bitter, as are the kernels from other species of genus ''Prunus'', such as apricot, peach and cherry (although to a lesser extent).

The bitter almond is slightly broader and shorter than the sweet almond and contains about 50% of the fixed oil that occurs in sweet almonds. It also contains the enzyme [[emulsin]] which, in the presence of water, acts on the two [[Solubility|soluble]] [[glucoside]]s [[amygdalin]] and [[prunasin]]<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Sánchez-Pérez R, Belmonte FS, Borch J, Dicenta F, Møller BL, Jørgensen K |title=Prunasin hydrolases during fruit development in sweet and bitter almonds |journal=Plant Physiology |volume=158 |issue=4 |pages=1916–32 |date=April 2012  |pmid=22353576 |pmc=3320195 |doi=10.1104/pp.111.192021}}</ref> yielding [[glucose]], [[cyanide]] and the [[essential oil]] of bitter almonds, which is nearly pure [[benzaldehyde]], the chemical causing the bitter flavor. Bitter almonds may yield 4–9&nbsp;milligrams of [[hydrogen cyanide]] per almond<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Shragg TA, Albertson TE, Fisher CJ |title=Cyanide poisoning after bitter almond ingestion |journal=West. J. Med. |volume=136 |issue=1 |pages=65–9 |date=January 1982 |pmid=7072244 |pmc=1273391 }}</ref> and contain 42 times higher amounts of cyanide than the trace levels found in sweet almonds.<ref name="isrn">{{cite journal |journal=ISRN Toxicol |year=2013 |issue=19 September |page=610648 |doi=10.1155/2013/610648 |pmid=24171123 |title=Potential Toxic Levels of Cyanide in Almonds (Prunus amygdalus), Apricot Kernels (Prunus armeniaca), and Almond Syrup |vauthors=Chaouali N, Gana I, Dorra A, Khelifi F, Nouioui A, Masri W, Belwaer I, Ghorbel H, Hedhili A |pmc=3793392 |volume=2013|doi-access=free }}</ref> The origin of cyanide content in bitter almonds is via the [[enzymatic hydrolysis]] of amygdalin.<ref name="isrn"/> [[Cytochrome P450|P450]] [[monooxygenase]]s are involved in the amygdalin biosynthetic pathway. A point mutation in a [[Basic helix-loop-helix|bHLH]] [[transcription factor]] prevents [[Transcription (biology)|transcription]] of the two cytochrome P450 genes, resulting in the sweet kernel trait.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Sánchez-Pérez|first1=R.|last2=Pavan|first2=S.|last3=Mazzeo|first3=R.|last4=Moldovan|first4=C.|last5=Aiese Cigliano|first5=R.|last6=Del Cueto|first6=J.|last7=Ricciardi|first7=F.|last8=Lotti|first8=C.|last9=Ricciardi|first9=L.|s2cid=189818379|date=14 June 2019|title=Mutation of a bHLH transcription factor allowed almond domestication|journal=Science|language=en|volume=364|issue=6445|pages=1095–1098|doi=10.1126/science.aav8197|pmid=31197015|bibcode=2019Sci...364.1095S|issn=0036-8075|doi-access=free|hdl=11586/236719|hdl-access=free}}</ref>

=== Etymology ===

The word ''almond'' is a [[loanword]] from [[Old French]] {{lang|fro|almande}} or {{lang|fro|alemande}},<ref name=EB1911>{{cite EB1911 |cite EB1911 |wstitle=Almond |volume=1 |page=716}}</ref> descended from [[Late Latin]] {{lang|la|amandula}}, {{lang|la|amindula}}, modified from [[Classical Latin]] {{lang|la|amygdala}}, which is in turn borrowed from [[Ancient Greek]] {{transliteration|grc|amygdálē}} ({{lang|grc|ἀμυγδάλη}})<ref name=EB1911/><ref name="oed">{{cite web |title=Almond |url=https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=almond |publisher=Online Etymology Dictionary, Douglas Harper |access-date=18 May 2023 |date=2023}}</ref> (cf. [[amygdala]], an almond-shaped portion of the brain).<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |title=Almond |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/almond |dictionary=Dictionary.com |access-date=16 May 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120427091114/http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/almond |archive-date=27 April 2012}}</ref> Late [[Old English]] had ''amygdales'' 'almonds'.<ref name="oed"/>

The adjective ''amygdaloid'' (literally 'like an almond, almond-like') is used to describe objects which are roughly almond-shaped, particularly a shape which is part way between a [[triangle]] and an [[ellipse]]. For example, the amygdala of the brain uses a direct borrowing of the Greek term {{transliteration|grc|amygdalē}}.<ref>{{cite journal |title=The Amygdaloid Complex: Anatomy and Physiology |vauthors=Sah P, Faber ES, Lopez De Armentia M, Power J |s2cid=16456971 |doi=10.1152/physrev.00002.2003 |journal=Physiological Reviews |date=1 July 2003 |volume=83 |pages=803–834 |issue=3 |pmid=12843409}}</ref>

== Origin and distribution ==

The precise origin of the almond is controversial due to estimates for its emergence across wide geographic regions.<ref name=imani/> Sources indicate that its origins were in [[Central Asia]] between [[Iran]], [[Turkmenistan]], [[Tajikistan]], [[Kurdistan]], [[Afghanistan]], and [[Iraq]],<ref name=imani/><ref name=kole/> or in an [[East Asia|eastern Asian]] subregion between [[Mongolia]] and [[Uzbekistan]].<ref name="imani">{{Cite web |last=Imani |first=Ali |date=2022 |title=Almond production experience in Iran compared to other countries in the world |url=https://hsri.ac.ir/_DouranPortal/Documents/Almond%20production%20experience%20in%20Iran%20compared%20to%20other%20countries%20in%20the%20world_20231022_123933.pdf |publisher=Horticultural Sciences Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Iran Ministry of Agriculture|location=Jahad, Iran |page=12}}</ref><ref name="chin">{{cite journal |vauthors=Chin SW, Shaw J, Haberle R, Wen J, Potter D |title=Diversification of almonds, peaches, plums and cherries – Molecular systematics and biogeographic history of Prunus (Rosaceae) |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution |date=July 2014 |volume=76 |pages=34–48 |doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2014.02.024 |pmid=24631854 |bibcode=2014MolPE..76...34C |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S105579031400089X}}</ref> In other assessments, both botanical and [[archeology|archaeological]] evidence indicates that almonds originated and were first cultivated in [[West Asia]], particularly in countries of the [[Levant]].<ref name=ladizinsky99/><ref name="kole">{{cite book|vauthors=Martínez-Gómez P, Sánchez-Pérez R, Dicenta F, Howad W, Arús P, Gradziel TM|year=2007|chapter= Almond (Chapter 11)|editor=Kole C|title=Fruits and Nuts. Genome Mapping and Molecular Breeding in Plants, vol 4|publisher=Springer|location=Berlin|chapter-url=https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-34533-6_11|isbn=978-3-540-34533-6|doi=10.1007/978-3-540-34533-6_11}}</ref> Other estimates specified Iran and [[Anatolia]] (present day [[Turkey]]) as origin locations of the almond, with botanical evidence for Iran as a possible origin center.<ref name=imani/><ref name="BĀDĀM – Encyclopaedia Iranica">{{Cite web |publisher=Encyclopaedia Iranica |title=Badam (almond) |url=https://iranicaonline.org/articles/badam-almond|date=19 August 2011 |access-date=2 July 2024|quote=Iran and Anatolia were the center in which its various species evolved and from which they were diffused}}</ref>

The wild form of domesticated almond also grew in parts of the Levant.<ref name=kole/><ref name="BĀDĀM – Encyclopaedia Iranica" /><ref name=zohary>{{cite book |last=Zohary |first=Daniel |author2=Maria Hopf |title=Domestication of plants in the old world: the origin and spread of cultivated plants in West Asia, Europe, and the Nile Valley |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2000 |page=186 |isbn=0-19-850356-3}}</ref> Almond cultivation was spread by humans centuries ago along the shores of the [[Mediterranean Sea]] into northern Africa and southern Europe,<ref name=kole/><ref name=chin/> and more recently to other world regions, notably [[California]].<ref name=eb/><ref name=Rieger>{{Cite web |url=https://homeorchard.ucanr.edu/Fruits_&_Nuts/Almond/ |title=Almond |publisher=Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California |date=2024|accessdate=2 July 2024}}</ref>

Selection of the sweet type from the many bitter types in the wild marked the beginning of almond domestication.<ref name=ladizinsky99/><ref name="sp">{{cite book |last=Sánchez-Pérez |first=Raquel |title=The Almond Tree Genome |publisher=[[Springer Nature]] |year=2023 |isbn=978-3-030-30302-0 |editor=Sánchez-Pérez |editor-first=Raquel |series=Compendium of Plant Genomes |location=Berlin |pages=15–24 |chapter=Origin and Domestication of Wild Bitter Almond. Recent Advancements on Almond Bitterness |doi=10.1007/978-3-030-30302-0_2 |editor-last2=i Marti |editor-first2=Angel Fernandez |editor-last3=Martinez-Gomez |editor-first3=Pedro |chapter-url=https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30302-0_2}}</ref> The wild ancestor of the almond used to [[plant breeding|breed]] the domesticated species is unknown.<ref name=ladizinsky99/><ref name=sp/> The species ''[[Prunus fenzliana]]'' may be the most likely wild ancestor of the almond, in part because it is native to [[Armenia]] and [[Azerbaijan|western Azerbaijan]], where it was apparently domesticated.<ref name=ladizinsky99 /><ref name=kole/> Wild almond species were grown by early farmers, "at first unintentionally in the garbage heaps, and later intentionally in their orchards".<ref>{{cite book |last=Diamond |first=Jared M. |author-link=Jared Diamond |title=Guns, germs, and steel: the fates of human societies |publisher=W.W. Norton |location=New York |year=1997 |page=118 |isbn=0-393-03891-2|title-link=Guns, Germs, and Steel }}</ref>

==Cultivation==

[[File:Baburnama illustration.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Persian miniature]] depiction of the almond harvest at [[Konibodom|Qand-i Badam]], [[Fergana Valley]] (16th&nbsp;century)<ref>{{cite web|last=Bhawani |url=http://warfare.atspace.eu/Moghul/Baburnama/Harvesting_of_the_almond_crop_at_Qand-i_Badam.htm |title=Harvesting of the almond crop at Qand-i Badam |date=1590s |work=Baburnama}}</ref>]]
[[File:Almondtrees.jpg|thumb|A grove of almond trees]]
[[File:AlmondShakerbeforeafter.jpg|thumb|An almond shaker before and during a tree's harvest]]

Almonds were one of the earliest domesticated [[fruit trees]], due to "the ability of the grower to raise attractive almonds from seed.<ref name=ladizinsky99 /> Thus, in spite of the fact that this plant does not lend itself to propagation from suckers or from cuttings, it could have been domesticated even before the introduction of [[grafting]]".<ref name=zohary/> Domesticated almonds appear in the [[Early Bronze Age]] (3000–2000 BC), such as the archaeological sites of [[Numeira]] (Jordan),<ref name=ladizinsky99/> or possibly earlier. Another well-known archaeological example of the almond is the fruit found in [[Tutankhamun]]'s tomb in Egypt (c. 1325 BC), probably imported from the Levant.<ref name=zohary/> An article on almond tree cultivation in Spain is brought down in [[Ibn al-'Awwam]]'s 12th-century agricultural work, ''Book on [[Agriculture in India|Agriculture]]''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Ibn al-'Awwam|first=Yaḥyá|author-link=Ibn al-'Awwam|title=Le livre de l'agriculture d'Ibn-al-Awam (kitab-al-felahah) |year=1864|location=Paris|publisher=A. Franck|translator=J.-J. Clement-Mullet |pages=260–263 (ch. 7 – Article 20)|url=https://archive.org/details/lelivredelagric00algoog/page/n14/mode/2up |language=fr|oclc=780050566}} (pp. [https://archive.org/details/lelivredelagric00algoog/page/n368/mode/2up 260]–263 (Article XX)</ref>

Of the European countries that the [[Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh]] reported as cultivating almonds, Germany<ref>{{cite web |url=http://193.62.154.38/cgi-bin/nph-readbtree.pl/feout?FAMILY_XREF=&GENUS_XREF=Prunus&SPECIES_XREF=dulcis&TAXON_NAME_XREF=&RANK= |title=''Flora Europaea'' Search Results |access-date=17 July 2008 |publisher=[[Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh]] |archive-date=11 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511164917/http://193.62.154.38/cgi-bin/nph-readbtree.pl/feout?FAMILY_XREF=&GENUS_XREF=Prunus&SPECIES_XREF=dulcis&TAXON_NAME_XREF=&RANK= |url-status=dead }}</ref> is the northernmost, though the domesticated form can be found as far north as Iceland.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Prunus+dulcis |title=''Prunus dulcis'' |access-date=17 July 2008 |publisher=[[Plants for a Future]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070819002033/http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Prunus+dulcis |archive-date=19 August 2007 }}</ref>

===Varieties===
Almond trees are small to medium-sized but commercial cultivars can be [[grafted]] onto a different root-stock to produce smaller trees. Varieties include:
* {{lang|fr|italics=unset|Nonpareil}} – originates in the 1800s. A large tree that produces large, smooth, thin-shelled almonds with 60–65% edible kernel per nut. Requires pollination from other almond varieties for good nut production.<ref name=ARS/>
* {{lang|it|italics=unset|Tuono}} – originates in Italy. Has thicker, hairier shells with only 32% of edible kernel per nut. The thicker shell gives some protection from pests such as the [[Amyelois transitella|navel orangeworm]]. Does not require pollination by other almond varieties.<ref name=ARS/>
* Mariana – used as a rootstock to result in smaller trees

===Breeding===
[[Breeding programme]]s have found the [[#high shell-seal trait|high shell-seal trait]].<ref name="Robens-et-al-2000">{{cite conference | url=http://www.ars.usda.gov/pacific-west-area/albany-ca/wrrc/ftdp/docs/aflatoxin-elimination-workshop-proceedings/ | conference=Aflatoxin/Fumonisin Workshop 2000 | date=25–27 October 2000 | location=[[Yosemite]], California, USA | page=17 | last1=Robens | first1=Jane | last2=Cary | first2=Jeffrey W. | last3=Campbell | first3=Bruce C. | title=Introduction}}</ref>

=== Pollination ===
The most widely planted varieties of almond are [[self-incompatible]]; hence these trees require pollen from a tree with different genetic characters to produce seeds. Almond orchards therefore must grow mixtures of almond varieties. In addition, the pollen is transferred from flower to flower by insects; therefore commercial growers must ensure there are enough insects to perform this task.<ref name="van Wyk 2019">{{cite book |last1=van Wyk |first1=Ben-Erik |title=Food plants of the world |date=2019 |publisher=CABI |isbn=9781789241303 |page=342 |edition=2nd}}</ref> The large scale of almond production in the U.S. creates a significant problem of providing enough pollinating insects. Additional pollinating insects are therefore brought to the trees. The [[pollination]] of [[Almonds in California|California's almonds]] is the largest annual [[Pollination management|managed pollination]] event in the world, with over 1&nbsp;million hives (nearly half of all [[beehive (beekeeping)|beehives]] in the US) being brought to the almond orchards each February.<ref name=eb/><ref name=bloom/>

Much of the supply of bees is managed by pollination brokers, who contract with migratory [[beekeeper]]s from at least 49 states for the event. This business was heavily affected by [[colony collapse disorder]] at the turn of the 21st century, causing a nationwide shortage of honey bees and increasing [[Pollination#Economics of pollination|the price]] of [[insect pollination]]. To partially protect almond growers from these costs, researchers at the [[Agricultural Research Service]], part of the [[United States Department of Agriculture]] (USDA), developed [[self-pollinating]] almond trees that combine this character with quality characters such as a flavor and yield.<ref name=ARS>{{cite web |author=Alfredo Flores |url=http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2010/100406.htm |title=ARS Scientists Develop Self-pollinating Almond Trees |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101017050714/http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2010/100406.htm |archive-date=17 October 2010 |publisher=[[United States Department of Agriculture|USDA]] [[Agricultural Research Service]] |date=6 April 2010}}</ref> Self-pollinating almond varieties exist, but they lack some commercial characters. However, through natural hybridisation between different almond varieties, a new variety that was self-pollinating with a high yield of commercial quality nuts was produced.

=== Diseases ===
{{Main|List of almond diseases}}

Almond trees can be attacked by an array of damaging microbes, fungal pathogens, plant viruses, and bacteria.<ref name="PlantVillage">{{cite web | title=Almond – Diseases and Pests, Description, Uses, Propagation | website=[[PlantVillage]] | url=http://plantvillage.psu.edu/topics/almond/infos | access-date=2019-12-11}}</ref>

=== Pests ===
Pavement ants (''[[Tetramorium caespitum]]''), southern fire ants (''[[Solenopsis xyloni]]''), and thief ants (''[[Solenopsis molesta]]'') are [[seed predator]]s.<ref name="PlantVillage" /> ''Bryobia rubrioculus'' mites are most known for their damage to this crop.<ref name="Bryobia-rubrioculus-UCANR">{{cite web | url=http://www.ipm.ucanr.edu/agriculture/almond/Brown-Mite/ | publisher=[[University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources|UC Agriculture and Natural Resources]] (UC ANR) | title=Brown Mite / Almond / Agriculture: Pest Management Guidelines / UC Statewide IPM Program (UC IPM)}}</ref>

=== Sustainability ===
Almond production in California is concentrated mainly in the [[Central Valley (California)|Central Valley]],<ref name="bi">{{Cite news|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/amount-of-water-needed-to-grow-one-almond-orange-tomato-2015-4|title=Chart shows how some of your favorite foods could be making California's drought worse|date=8 April 2015|author1=Brodwin E |author2=Lee S|work=Business Insider|access-date=17 April 2017|language=en}}</ref> where the mild climate, rich soil, abundant sunshine and water supply make for ideal growing conditions. Due to the [[Droughts in California|persistent droughts in California]] in the early 21st century, it became more difficult to raise almonds in a sustainable manner.<ref name="npr">{{cite web |author1=Richard Gonzalez |title=How Almonds Became A Scapegoat For California's Drought |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/04/16/399958203/how-almonds-became-a-scapegoat-for-californias-drought |publisher=US National Public Radio |access-date=16 April 2019 |date=16 April 2015}}</ref><ref name="bloom">{{cite news |author1=Alan Bjerga |author2=Donna Cohen |author3=Cindy Hoffman |title=California Almonds Are Back After Four Years of Brutal Drought |newspaper=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2018-thirst-for-almonds/ |publisher=Bloomberg |access-date=16 April 2019}}</ref> The issue is complex because of the high amount of water needed to produce almonds: a single almond requires roughly {{convert|1.1|usgal|impgal l|abbr=off}} of water to grow properly.<ref name=bi/><ref name=npr/><ref>{{Cite web|last1=Mekonnen|first1=M. M.|last2=Hoekstra|first2=A. Y.|title=The green, blue and grey water footprint of crops and derived crop products|url=https://hess.copernicus.org/articles/15/1577/2011/hess-15-1577-2011.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-19|website=Copernicus|publisher=Twente Water Centre, University of Twente|publication-place=Enschede, The Netherlands|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123145145/https://hess.copernicus.org/articles/15/1577/2011/hess-15-1577-2011.pdf|archive-date=23 January 2021}}</ref> Regulations related to water supplies are changing so some growers have destroyed their current almond orchards to replace with either younger trees or a different crop such as [[pistachio]] that needs less water.<ref name="AtlasObscura2021">{{cite web |title=Why Are Almond Growers Uprooting Their Orchards? |url=https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/uprooting-almond-orchard |website=Atlas Obscura |date=2 July 2021 |access-date=3 July 2021}}</ref>
[[File:Almond tree in blossom (Israel).jpg|thumb|Almond tree with blossoming flowers, [[Valley of Elah]], Israel]]
Sustainability strategies implemented by the [[Almond Board of California]] and almond farmers include:<ref name=bloom/><ref name="abc2018">{{cite web |title=Annual report: Growing Good – Almond Sustainability 2018 |url=https://newsroom.almonds.com/sites/default/files/pdf_file/Growing%20Good%202018.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://newsroom.almonds.com/sites/default/files/pdf_file/Growing%20Good%202018.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live |publisher=Almond Board of California |access-date=16 April 2019 |date=2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Almond industry forerunner of future farm practices, sustainability program internationally recognized |url=https://www.farmprogress.com/tree-nuts/almond-industry-forerunner-future-farm-practices-sustainability-program-internationally |publisher=Western FarmPress |access-date=16 April 2019 |date=6 March 2018}}</ref>
* tree and [[soil health]], and other farming practices
* minimizing dust production during the harvest
* [[bee]] health
* [[irrigation]] guidelines for farmers
* food safety
* use of waste [[biomass]] as coproducts with a goal to achieve [[zero waste]]
* use of [[solar energy]] during processing
* job development
* support of [[scientific research]] to investigate potential health benefits of consuming almonds
* international education about sustainability practices

== Production ==
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; clear:right; width:14em; text-align:center; margin-right:1em;"
|+ Almonds (with shell), 2022
|-
! Country
! [[Tonne]]s
|-
| {{USA}} || 1,858,010
|-
| {{AUS}} || 360,328
|-
| {{ESP}} || 245,990
|-
| {{TUR}} || 190,000
|-
| {{MAR}} || 175,763
|-
| {{center|'''World'''}} || '''3,630,427'''
|-
| colspan="2" |<small>Source: [[FAOSTAT]] of the United Nations<ref name="faostat">{{cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QC|title=Almonds (in shells) production in 2022, Crops/Regions/World list/Production Quantity (pick lists) |publisher= UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Corporate Statistical Database (FAOSTAT) |date=2024 |access-date= 23 April 2024}}</ref></small>
|}

In 2022, world production of almonds was 3.6&nbsp;million [[tonnes]], led by the United States (table). Secondary producers were Australia and Spain.

=== United States ===
In the United States, production is concentrated in California where {{cvt|1000000|acre|ha}} and six different almond varieties were under cultivation in 2017, with a yield of {{convert|2.25|e9lb|e9kg|abbr=off}} of shelled almonds.<ref name="usda">{{cite web |last1=Averill |first1=Travis |title=2017 Almond Forecast |url=http://www.almonds.com/sites/default/files/content/attachments/almond_objective_report_2017_presentation.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.almonds.com/sites/default/files/content/attachments/almond_objective_report_2017_presentation.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live |publisher=National Agricultural Statistics Service, US Department of Agriculture |access-date=12 November 2017 |date=6 July 2017}}</ref> California production is marked by a period of intense pollination during late winter by [[renting|rented]] commercial bees transported by truck across the U.S. to almond groves, requiring more than half of the total U.S. commercial honeybee population.<ref>{{cite news |author1=Ginger Zee |author2=David Miller |author3=Kelly Harold |author4=Andrea Miller |title=Growing California almonds takes more than half of US honeybees |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/growing-california-almonds-takes-half-us-honeybees/story?id=52265334 |access-date=1 September 2018 |work=ABC News |date=16 January 2018}}</ref> The value of total U.S. exports of shelled almonds in 2016 was $3.2&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Workman |first1=Daniel |title=Top Almonds Exporters by Country in 2016 |url=http://www.worldstopexports.com/top-almonds-exporters-by-country/ |publisher=World's Top Exports |access-date=12 November 2017 |date=25 July 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113003342/http://www.worldstopexports.com/top-almonds-exporters-by-country/ |archive-date=13 November 2017}}</ref>

All commercially grown almonds sold as food in the U.S. are sweet cultivars. The U.S. [[Food and Drug Administration]] reported in 2010 that some fractions of imported sweet almonds were contaminated with bitter almonds, which contain cyanide.<ref name=":1">{{cite journal |vauthors=Toomey VM, Nickum EA, Flurer CL |date=September 2012 |title=Cyanide and amygdalin as indicators of the presence of bitter almonds in imported raw almonds |url=https://zenodo.org/record/1230689 |url-status=dead |journal=Journal of Forensic Sciences |volume=57 |issue=5 |pages=1313–7 |doi=10.1111/j.1556-4029.2012.02138.x |pmid=22564183 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725075712/https://zenodo.org/record/1230689 |archive-date=2020-07-25 |s2cid=20002210}}</ref>

=== Australia ===
Australia is the largest almond production region in the [[Southern Hemisphere]]. Most of the almond orchards are located along the [[Murray River]] corridor in [[New South Wales]], Victoria, and [[South Australia]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Where are Australian Almonds grown? |url=http://australianalmonds.com.au/enjoy/australian_almonds/where-are-australian-almonds-grown |website=Almond Board of Australia |access-date=22 December 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222115633/http://australianalmonds.com.au/enjoy/australian_almonds/where-are-australian-almonds-grown |archive-date=22 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.theland.com.au/story/3580611/agri-comeback-kids-of-2014/ |title=Agri-comeback kids of 2014 |first=Chris |last=Gibson |newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald |date=5 February 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222205829/http://www.theland.com.au/story/3580611/agri-comeback-kids-of-2014/ |archive-date=22 December 2015 |access-date=22 December 2015 }}</ref>

=== Spain ===
Spain has diverse commercial cultivars of almonds grown in [[Catalonia]], [[Valencia]], [[Murcia]], Andalusia, and [[Aragón]] regions, and the [[Balearic Islands]].<ref name="gain">{{cite web |url=https://gain.fas.usda.gov/Recent%20GAIN%20Publications/Tree%20Nuts%20Annual_Madrid_EU-28_9-8-2016.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://gain.fas.usda.gov/Recent%20GAIN%20Publications/Tree%20Nuts%20Annual_Madrid_EU-28_9-8-2016.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live |title=Tree nuts annual; Almonds, shelled basis; Report number SP1619 |publisher=GAIN Report, US Department of Agriculture |date=15 September 2016 |access-date=18 January 2018}}</ref> Production in 2016 declined 2% nationally compared to 2015 production data.<ref name=gain/>

The 'Marcona' almond cultivar is recognizably different from other almonds and is marketed by name.<ref name=Gradziel>{{cite book |author=Gradziel, T.M. |year=2011 |title=Horticultural Reviews |volume=38 |chapter=Origin and Dissemination of Almonds |publisher=Wiley-Blackwell |editor=J. Janick |doi=10.1002/9780470872376.ch2 |chapter-url=https://eurekamag.com/research/038/900/038900919.php |page=55 |access-date=10 April 2018|isbn=9780470872376 }}</ref> The kernel is short, round, relatively sweet, and delicate in texture. Its origin is unknown and has been grown in Spain for a long time; the tree is very productive, and the shell of the nut is hard.<ref name=Gradziel/>

== Toxicity ==

Bitter almonds contain 42 times higher amounts of cyanide than the trace levels found in sweet almonds.<ref name="isrn" /> Extract of bitter almond was once used medicinally but even in small doses, effects are severe or lethal, especially in children; the cyanide must be removed before consumption.<ref name="isrn" /> The acute oral lethal dose of cyanide for adult humans is reported to be {{cvt|0.5|–|3.5|mg/kg|mg/lb|1}} of body weight (approximately 50 bitter almonds), so that for children consuming 5–10 bitter almonds may be fatal.<ref name="isrn" /> Symptoms of eating such almonds include [[vertigo]] and other typical cyanide poisoning effects.<ref name=":1" />

Almonds may cause [[food allergy|allergy]] or [[food intolerance|intolerance]]. Cross-reactivity is common with [[peach]] [[allergen]]s ([[lipid transfer proteins]]) and [[Tree nut allergy|tree nut allergens]]. Symptoms range from local signs and symptoms (e.g., [[oral allergy syndrome]], [[contact urticaria]]) to systemic signs and symptoms including [[anaphylaxis]] (e.g., [[urticaria]], [[angioedema]], gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.food-info.net/uk/intol/almond.htm |title=Almond allergy |publisher=Food-info.net |date=26 July 2001 |access-date=17 March 2012}}</ref>

Almonds are susceptible to [[aflatoxin]]-producing molds.<ref>{{cite web |year=2009 |title=The high cost of aflatoxins |url=http://www.almondboard.com/Handlers/Documents/The-High-Cost-of-Aflatoxins.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607090652/http://www.almondboard.com/Handlers/Documents/The-High-Cost-of-Aflatoxins.pdf |archive-date=7 June 2013 |access-date=23 August 2012 |publisher=Almond Board of California}}</ref> Aflatoxins are potent [[carcinogen]]ic chemicals produced by molds such as ''[[Aspergillus flavus]]'' and ''[[Aspergillus parasiticus]]''.<ref name="Rushing">{{cite journal |last1=Rushing |first1=Blake R. |last2=Selim |first2=Mustafa I. |year=2019 |title=Aflatoxin B1: A review on metabolism, toxicity, occurrence in food, occupational exposure, and detoxification methods |journal=Food and Chemical Toxicology |volume=124 |pages=81–100 |doi=10.1016/j.fct.2018.11.047 |issn=0278-6915 |pmid=30468841 |s2cid=53720187}}</ref> The mold contamination may occur from soil, previously infested almonds, and almond pests such as navel-orange worm. High levels of mold growth typically appear as gray to black filament-like growth. It is unsafe to eat mold-infected tree nuts.

Some countries have strict limits on allowable levels of aflatoxin contamination of almonds and require adequate testing before the nuts can be marketed to their citizens. The European Union, for example, introduced a requirement since 2007 that all almond shipments to the EU be tested for aflatoxin. If aflatoxin does not meet the strict safety regulations, the entire consignment may be reprocessed to eliminate the aflatoxin or it must be destroyed.<ref>{{cite web |year=2010 |title=Aflatoxins in food |url=http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/aflatoxins-food |publisher=European Food Safety Authority}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |year=2010 |title=New EU Aflatoxin Levels and Sampling Plan |url=http://gain.fas.usda.gov/Recent%20GAIN%20Publications/New%20EU%20Aflatoxin%20Levels%20and%20Sampling%20Plan_Brussels%20USEU_EU-27_3-9-2010.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111125111951/http://gain.fas.usda.gov/Recent%20GAIN%20Publications/New%20EU%20Aflatoxin%20Levels%20and%20Sampling%20Plan_Brussels%20USEU_EU-27_3-9-2010.pdf |archive-date=25 November 2011 |access-date=23 August 2012 |publisher=USDA Foreign Agricultural Service}}</ref>

Breeding programs have found the {{visible anchor|high shell-seal}} trait.<ref name="Robens-et-al-2000" /> High shell-seal provides [[crop disease resistance|resistance]] against these ''Aspergillus'' species and so against the development of their toxins.<ref name="Robens-et-al-2000" />

=== Mandatory pasteurization in California ===

After tracing cases of [[salmonellosis]] to almonds, the USDA approved a proposal by the Almond Board of California to pasteurize almonds sold to the public. After publishing the rule in March 2007, the almond pasteurization program became mandatory for California companies effective 1 September 2007.<ref>{{cite press release  | title = The Food Safety Program & Almond Pasteurization  | publisher = Almond Board of California  | date = 17 September 2010 | url = http://www.almondboard.com/Handlers/FoodQualitySafety/Pasteurization/Pages/Default.aspx  | access-date = 17 September 2010 | url-status = dead  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100125013631/http://www.almondboard.com/Handlers/FoodQualitySafety/Pasteurization/Pages/Default.aspx  | archive-date = 25 January 2010}}</ref> Raw, untreated California almonds have not been available in the U.S. since then.

California almonds labeled "raw" must be steam-pasteurized or chemically treated with [[propylene oxide]] (PPO). This does not apply to imported almonds<ref>[[Agricultural Marketing Service]] (8 November 2006) "Almonds Grown in California: Changes to Incoming Quality Control Requirements" ({{Federal Register |71 |65373}}, {{Federal Register |71 |65374}}, {{Federal Register |71 |65375}} and {{Federal Register |71 |65376}})</ref> or almonds sold from the grower directly to the consumer in small quantities.<ref>{{cite news  |first= Garance  |last= Burke  |title= Almond pasteurization rubs some feelings raw  |url= http://www.insidebayarea.com/business/ci_6260038  |agency= Associated Press  |date= 29 June 2007 |access-date= 8 November 2014 |url-status= live  |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141223060711/http://www.insidebayarea.com/business/ci_6260038  |archive-date= 23 December 2014}}</ref> The treatment also is not required for raw almonds sold for export outside of North America.

The Almond Board of California states: "PPO residue dissipates after treatment". The [[U.S. Environmental Protection Agency]] has reported: "Propylene oxide has been detected in fumigated food products; consumption of contaminated food is another possible route of exposure". PPO is classified as [[List of IARC Group 2B carcinogens|Group 2B]] ("possibly carcinogenic to humans").<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wlpEAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA36 |title=Improving the Safety and Quality of Nuts |editor=Harris LJ |year=2013 |publisher=Elsevier, Woodhead Publishing Series in Food Science, Technology and Nutrition |isbn=978-0-85709-748-4 |pages=36–37}}</ref>

The USDA-approved marketing order was challenged in court by organic farmers organized by the [[Cornucopia Institute]], a Wisconsin-based farm policy research group which filed a lawsuit in September 2008. According to the institute, this almond marketing order has imposed significant financial burdens on small-scale and organic growers and damaged domestic almond markets. A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit in early 2009 on procedural grounds. In August 2010, a federal appeals court ruled that the farmers have a right to appeal the USDA regulation. In March 2013, the court vacated the suit on the basis that the objections should have been raised in 2007 when the regulation was first proposed.<ref>{{Cite web
 |title       = The Authentic Almond Project
 |publisher   = The Cornucopia Institute.
 |url         = http://www.cornucopia.org/almonds/
 |url-status     = live
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20100108124858/http://www.cornucopia.org/almonds/
 |archive-date = 8 January 2010
}}</ref>

==Uses==

=== Nutrition ===
{{Nutritional value
| name = Almonds
| image = Mandorle sgusciate.jpg
| kJ = 2423
| carbs = 21.6 g
| starch = 0.7 g
| sugars = 4.4 g
| lactose = 0.00 g
| fiber = 12.5 g
| fat = 49.9 g
| satfat = 3.8 g
| monofat = 31.6 g
| polyfat = 12.3 g
| protein = 21.2 g
| water = 4.4 g
| vitA_iu = 1
| betacarotene_ug = 1
| lutein_ug = 1
| thiamin_mg = 0.211
| riboflavin_mg = 1.014
| niacin_mg = 3.385
| pantothenic_mg = 0.469
| vitB6_mg = 0.143
| folate_ug = 50
| choline_mg = 52.1
| vitC_mg = 0
| vitD_ug = 0
| vitE_mg = 25.6
| vitK_ug = 0.0
| calcium_mg = 264
| iron_mg = 3.72
| magnesium_mg = 268
| manganese_mg = 2.285
| phosphorus_mg = 484
| potassium_mg = 705
| sodium_mg = 1
| zinc_mg = 3.08
| copper_mg = 0.99
| selenium_ug = 2.5
<!-- amino acids -->| tryptophan = 0.214 g
| threonine = 0.598 g
| isoleucine = 0.702 g
| leucine = 1.488 g
| lysine = 0.580 g
| methionine = 0.151 g
| cystine = 0.189 g
| phenylalanine = 1.120 g
| tyrosine = 0.452 g
| valine = 0.817 g
| arginine = 2.446 g
| histidine = 0.557 g
| alanine = 1.027 g
| aspartic acid = 2.911 g
| glutamic acid = 6.810 g
| glycine = 1.469 g
| proline = 1.032 g
| serine = 0.948 g
| source_usda = 1
| note = [https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170567/nutrients Link to USDA Database entry]
}}

[[File:Amandines de Provence, poster by Leonetto Cappiello, 1900.jpg|thumb|Amandines de Provence, poster by [[Leonetto Cappiello]], 1900, which shows a woman eating [[Almond biscuit|almond biscuits (almond cookies)]]]]

Almonds are 4% water, 22% [[carbohydrate]]s, 21% [[protein]], and 50% fat. In a {{convert|100|g|oz|adj=on|abbr=off|frac=2}} reference amount, almonds supply {{convert|579|kcal|kJ|order=flip|abbr=off}} of [[food energy]]. The almond is a nutritionally dense food, providing a rich source (20% or more of the [[Daily Value]], DV) of the [[B vitamin]]s [[riboflavin]] and [[Niacin (nutrient)|niacin]], [[vitamin E]], and the [[essential mineral]]s [[calcium]], copper, iron, [[magnesium]], [[manganese]], [[phosphorus]], and [[zinc]]. Almonds are a moderate source (10–19% DV) of the B vitamins [[thiamine]], [[vitamin B6|vitamin B<sub>6</sub>]], and [[folate]], choline, and the essential mineral [[potassium]]. They also contain substantial [[dietary fiber]], the [[monounsaturated fat]], [[oleic acid]], and the [[polyunsaturated fat]], linoleic acid. Typical of nuts and seeds, almonds are a source of [[phytosterol]]s such as [[beta-sitosterol]], [[stigmasterol]], [[campesterol]], [[sitostanol]], and [[campestanol]].<ref name="Berryman2011">{{cite journal |vauthors=Berryman CE, Preston AG, Karmally W, Deckelbaum RJ, Kris-Etherton PM |title=Effects of almond consumption on the reduction of LDL-cholesterol: a discussion of potential mechanisms and future research directions |journal=Nutrition Reviews |volume=69 |issue=4 |pages=171–85 |date=April 2011  |pmid=21457263 |doi=10.1111/j.1753-4887.2011.00383.x|doi-access=free }}</ref>

===Health===
Almonds are included as a good source of protein among recommended healthy foods by the [[U.S. Department of Agriculture]] (USDA).<ref name="cmp">{{cite web |title=Protein foods: nutrients and health benefits |url=https://www.choosemyplate.gov/protein-foods-nutrients-health |publisher=ChooseMyPlate.gov, USDA |access-date=16 April 2019 |date=4 October 2018 |archive-date=16 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416211522/https://www.choosemyplate.gov/protein-foods-nutrients-health |url-status=dead }}</ref> A 2016 review of [[clinical research]] indicated that regular consumption of almonds may reduce the risk of [[heart disease]] by lowering blood levels of [[LDL cholesterol]].<ref name="Musa">{{cite journal | last1=Musa-Veloso | first1=Kathy | last2=Paulionis | first2=Lina | last3=Poon | first3=Theresa | last4=Lee | first4=Han Youl | title=The effects of almond consumption on fasting blood lipid levels: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials | journal=Journal of Nutritional Science | volume=5 | date=16 August 2016 | issn=2048-6790 | pmid=27752301 | pmc=5048189 | doi=10.1017/jns.2016.19 | page=e34}}</ref><ref name="thchan">{{cite web |title=Almonds |url=https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/almonds/ |publisher=TH Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University |access-date=16 April 2019 |date=2019}}</ref>

=== Culinary ===
{{Cookbook}}{{Main|List of almond dishes}}

While the almond is often eaten on its own, raw or toasted, it is also a component of various dishes. Almonds are available in many forms, such as whole, slivered, and ground into flour. Almond pieces around {{Convert|2–3|mm|frac=16}} in size, called "nibs", are used for special purposes such as decoration.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mdwm7jI9J10C&pg=PT45|title=Dictionary of Food: International Food and Cooking Terms from A to Z|last=Sinclair|first=Charles|date=1 January 2009|publisher=A&C Black|isbn=9781408102183|pages=45|language=en}}</ref>

Almonds are a common addition to breakfast [[muesli]] or oatmeal.

<gallery>
File:Guinda-Almendras-Nata.JPG|Almond cream cake covered in slivered almonds
File:Colomba pasquale, edizione 2013 - ND0 4662 (8564331585).jpg|''[[Colomba di Pasqua]]'', traditional Italian Easter bread
File:Flickr - cyclonebill - Gåsebryst.jpg|[[Danish cuisine|Danish]] cream cake covered with marzipan
</gallery>

====Desserts====

A wide range of classic sweets feature almonds as a central ingredient. Marzipan was developed in the Middle Ages. Since the 19th century almonds have been used to make bread, [[almond butter]], cakes and puddings, candied confections, almond cream-filled pastries, [[nougat]], cookies ([[macaroon]]s, [[biscotti]] and [[qurabiya]]), and cakes ([[Financier (pastry)|financiers]], [[Esterházy torte]]), and other sweets and desserts.<ref>{{cite book |last=Dolby |first=Richard |title=The Cook's Dictionary: A New Family Manual of Cookery and Confectionery |date=1830}}</ref>

The young, developing fruit of the almond tree can be eaten whole (green almonds) when they are still green and fleshy on the outside and the inner shell has not yet hardened. The fruit is somewhat sour, but is a popular snack in parts of the Middle East, eaten dipped in salt to balance the sour taste. Also in the Middle East they are often eaten with dates. They are available only from mid-April to mid-June in the Northern Hemisphere; pickling or brining extends the fruit's shelf life.

=====Marzipan=====
{{main|Marzipan}}

Marzipan, a smooth, sweetened [[almond paste]], is used in a number of elegant cakes and desserts. [[Princess cake]] is covered by marzipan (similar to [[Fondant icing|fondant]]), as is [[Battenberg cake]]. In [[Sicily]], sponge cake is covered with marzipan to make [[cassatella di sant'Agata]] and [[cassata siciliana]], and marzipan is dyed and crafted into realistic fruit shapes to make [[frutta martorana]]. The [[Andalusian cuisine|Andalusian]] Christmas pastry ''[[pan de Cádiz]]'' is filled with marzipan and candied fruit.

====World cuisines====

*In [[French cuisine]], alternating layers of almond and hazelnut [[meringue]] are used to make the dessert ''[[dacquoise]]''. [[Pithivier]] is one of many almond cream-filled pastries.
*In [[German cuisine|Germany]], Easter bread called ''Deutsches Osterbrot'' is baked with raisins and almonds.
*In Greece almond flour is used to make ''[[amygdalopita]]'', a ''glyka tapsiou'' dessert cake baking in a tray. Almonds are used for ''kourabiedes'', a Greek version of the traditional ''quarabiya'' almond biscuits. A soft drink known as ''[[soumada]]'' is made from almonds in various regions.
*In [[Saudi Arabia]], almonds are a typical embellishment for the rice dish [[kabsa]].<ref>{{cite book |last=El Masri |first=Arwa |title=Tea with Arwa: A Memoir of Family, Faith and Finding a Home in Australia |date=27 September 2011 |publisher=Hachette Australia |isbn=9780733628528 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6Gg0AgAAQBAJ&pg=PT22}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Salloum |first=Habeeb |title=The Arabian Nights Cookbook: From Lamb Kebabs to Baba Ghanouj, Delicious Homestyle Arabian Cooking |date=28 February 2012 |publisher=Tuttle Publishing |isbn=9781462905249 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v5TTAgAAQBAJ&dq=Kabsa+rice+almonds&pg=PA74}}</ref>
*In Iran, green almonds are dipped in [[sea salt]] and eaten as snacks on street markets; they are called ''chaqale bâdam''. Candied almonds called [[noghl]] are served alongside tea and coffee. Also, sweet almonds are used to prepare special food for babies, named ''harire badam''. Almonds are added to some foods, cookies, and desserts, or are used to decorate foods. People in Iran consume roasted nuts for special events, for example, during New Year ([[Nowruz]]) parties.
*In Italy, ''[[colomba di Pasqua]]'' is a traditional [[Easter cake]] made with [[almonds]]. Bitter almonds are the base for ''[[Amaretti di Saronno|amaretti]]'' cookies, a common dessert. Almonds are also a common choice as the nuts to include in ''[[torrone]]''.
*In Morocco, almonds in the form of sweet [[almond paste]] are the main ingredient in pastry fillings, and several other [[List of Moroccan dishes#Desserts|desserts]]. Fried blanched whole almonds are also used to decorate sweet ''[[tajine]]s'' such as lamb with prunes. Southwestern Berber regions of [[Essaouira]] and Souss are also known for ''amlou'', a spread made of almond paste, [[argan oil]], and honey. Almond paste is also mixed with toasted flour and among others, honey, olive oil or butter, anise, fennel, sesame seeds, and cinnamon to make ''sellou'' (also called ''zamita'' in [[Meknes]] or ''slilou'' in [[Marrakech]]), a sweet snack known for its long shelf life and high nutritive value.
*[[India|In]] [[Indian cuisine]], almonds are the base ingredients of ''[[pasanda]]''-style and [[Mughlai]] [[curry|curries]]. ''Badam halva'' is a sweet made from almonds with added coloring. Almond flakes are added to many sweets (such as ''sohan barfi''), and are usually visible sticking to the outer surface. Almonds form the base of various drinks which are supposed to have cooling properties. Almond [[Sherbet (powder)|sherbet]] or ''sherbet-e-badaam'', is a common summer drink. Almonds are also sold as a snack with added salt.
*In Israel almonds are used as a topping for [[tahini cookie]]s or eaten as a snack.
*In Spain ''Marcona'' almonds are usually toasted in oil and lightly salted. They are used by Spanish confectioners to prepare a sweet called ''[[turrón]]''.
*In [[Arabian cuisine]], almonds are commonly used as garnishing for [[Mansaf]].
*In [[British cuisine]], almonds are used for dessert items such as [[Bakewell tart]] and [[Battenberg cake]].

==== Milk ====
{{main|Almond milk}}

Almonds can be processed into a [[milk substitute]] called almond milk; the nut's soft texture, mild flavor, and light coloring (when skinned) make for an efficient analog to dairy, and a soy-free choice for [[lactose intolerant]] people and [[vegans]]. Raw, blanched, and lightly toasted almonds work well for different production techniques, some of which are similar to that of [[soy milk]] and some of which use no heat, resulting in [[raw milk]].

Almond milk, along with almond butter and almond oil, are versatile products used in both sweet and savoury dishes.

In [[Moroccan cuisine]], sharbat billooz, a common beverage, is made by blending blanched almonds with milk, sugar and other flavorings.<ref>{{cite book |title=Dictionary of Food: International Food and Cooking Terms from A to Z |isbn = 9781408102183|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mdwm7jI9J10C&q=sharbat+billooz&pg=PT1211|last1 = Sinclair|first1 = Charles|date = January 2009| publisher=A&C Black }}</ref>

==== Flour and skins ====

[[Almond flour]] or ground [[almond meal]] combined with sugar or honey as marzipan is often used as a [[gluten-free]] alternative to wheat flour in cooking and baking.<ref>{{cite book |last=Amsterdam |first=Elana |title=The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook: Breakfasts, Entrees, and More |publisher=Random House of Canada |year=2009 |isbn=978-1-58761-345-6}}</ref>

Almonds contain polyphenols in their [[seed coat|skins]] consisting of [[flavonol]]s, [[flavan-3-ol]]s, [[hydroxybenzoic acid]]s and [[flavanone]]s<ref name="skins">{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/j.jfca.2009.08.015 |title=Characterization of polyphenols, lipids and dietary fibre from almond skins (Amygdalus communis L.)|year=2010 |last1=Mandalari |first1=G. |last2=Tomaino |first2=A. |last3=Arcoraci |first3=T. |last4=Martorana |first4=M. |last5=Turco |first5=V. Lo |last6=Cacciola |first6=F. |last7=Rich |first7=G.T. |last8=Bisignano |first8=C. |last9=Saija |first9=A. |last10=Dugo |first10=P. |last11=Cross |first11=K.L. |last12=Parker |first12=M.L. |last13=Waldron |first13=K.W. |last14=Wickham |first14=M.S.J. |journal=Journal of Food Composition and Analysis |volume=23 |issue=2 |pages=166–174}}</ref> analogous to those of certain fruits and vegetables. These phenolic compounds and almond skin [[prebiotic (nutrition)|prebiotic]] dietary fiber have commercial interest as [[food additive]]s or [[dietary supplement]]s.<ref name=skins/><ref>{{cite journal |title=Prebiotic effects of almonds and almond skins on intestinal microbiota in healthy adult humans |vauthors=Liu Z, Lin X, Huang G, Zhang W, Rao P, Ni L |journal=Anaerobe |year=2014 |issue=4 |volume=26 |pages=1–6 |doi=10.1016/j.anaerobe.2013.11.007 |pmid=24315808}}</ref>

==== Syrup ====
Historically, almond syrup was an [[emulsion]] of sweet and bitter almonds, usually made with [[barley syrup]] ([[orgeat syrup]]) or in a syrup of [[orange flower water]] and sugar, often flavored with a synthetic aroma of almonds.<ref name="isrn"/> Orgeat syrup is an important ingredient in the [[Mai Tai]] and many other [[Tiki bar|Tiki drinks]].<ref>{{cite web |title=In honor of orgeat |url=https://www.alcoholprofessor.com/blog-posts/blog/2017/10/18/in-honor-of-orgeat |website=alcoholprofessor.com |date=18 October 2017 |access-date=11 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Upgrade your orgeat |url=https://nationalpost.com/life/food/cocktails-upgrade-your-orgeat-and-youll-find-not-all-tiki-drinks-%EF%AC%81t-under-the-same-umbrella |website=nationalpost.com |access-date=25 August 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Tiki cocktail history basics |url=https://drinks.seriouseats.com/2014/03/tiki-cocktail-history-basics-of-tiki-drinks-essential-ingredients.html |website=drinks.seriouseats.com |access-date=11 March 2019}}</ref>

Due to the cyanide found in bitter almonds, modern syrups generally are produced only from sweet almonds. Such syrup products do not contain significant levels of [[hydrocyanic acid]], so are generally considered safe for human consumption.<ref name="isrn"/>

=== Oils ===
[[File:SweetAlmondOil.png|thumb|left|upright=0.5|Almond oil]]
{{Nutritional value|
| name = Oil, almond
| serving_size = 100 g
| kJ = 3699
| fat = 100 g
| satfat = 8.2 g
| monofat = 69.9 g
| polyfat = 17.4 g
| omega6fat = 17.4 g
| omega3fat = 0
| vitE_mg = 39.2
| vitK_ug = 7.0
| iron_mg = 0
| note = [https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171031/nutrients Link to USDA Database entry]
}}

Almonds are a rich source of oil, with 50% of kernel dry mass as fat (whole almond nutrition table). In relation to total dry mass of the kernel, almond oil contains 32% [[monounsaturated]] oleic acid (an [[omega-9 fatty acid]]), 13% [[linoleic acid]] (a [[polyunsaturated]] [[Omega-6 fatty acid|omega-6]] [[essential fatty acid]]), and 10% [[saturated fatty acid]] (mainly as [[palmitic acid]]).<!-- See USDA link in nutrition box. --> Linolenic acid, a polyunsaturated [[omega-3]] fat, is not present (table). Almond oil is a rich source of vitamin E, providing 261% of the Daily Value per 100 millilitres.

When almond oil is analyzed separately and expressed per 100 grams as a reference mass, the oil provides {{convert|884|kcal|kJ|order=flip|abbr=on}} of food energy, 8 grams of saturated fat (81% of which is palmitic acid), 70 grams of oleic acid, and 17 grams of linoleic acid (oil table).

''Oleum amygdalae'', the fixed oil, is prepared from either sweet or bitter almonds, and is a glyceryl oleate with a slight odour and a nutty taste. It is almost insoluble in [[ethanol|alcohol]] but readily soluble in [[chloroform]] or [[diethyl ether|ether]]. Almond oil is obtained from the dried [[seed|kernel]] of almonds.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Oil content and fatty acid composition of developing almond seeds |vauthors=Soler L, Canellas J, Saura-Calixto F |journal=J Agric Food Chem |year=1988 |volume=36 |issue=4 |pages=695–697 |doi=10.1021/jf00082a007 |hdl=10261/90477 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> Sweet almond oil is used as a carrier oil in aromatherapy and cosmetics while bitter almond oil, containing benzaldehyde, is used as a food flavouring and in perfume.<ref name="van Wyk 2019" />
{{clear left}}

== In culture ==
[[File:Prunus dulcis - Köhler–s Medizinal-Pflanzen-250.jpg|thumb|1897 illustration<ref>illustration from Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen, 1897</ref>]]

The almond is highly revered in some cultures. The tree originated in the Middle East. In the Bible, the almond is mentioned ten times, beginning with [[Book of Genesis|Genesis]] 43:11, where it is described as "among the best of fruits". In [[Book of Numbers|Numbers]] 17, [[Levi]] is chosen from the other tribes of Israel by [[Aaron's rod]], which brought forth almond flowers. The almond blossom supplied a model for the [[Menorah (Temple)|menorah]] which stood in the [[Holy Temple]], "Three cups, shaped like almond blossoms, were on one branch, with a knob and a flower; and three cups, shaped like almond blossoms, were on the other … on the candlestick itself were four cups, shaped like almond blossoms, with its knobs and flowers" ([[Book of Exodus|Exodus]] 25:33–34; 37:19–20). Many [[Sephardi Jews|Sephardic Jews]] give five almonds to each guest before special occasions like weddings.<ref>{{Cite web|date=13 July 2017|title=Jewish Sephardi Wedding Recipes and Traditions|url=https://www.myjewishlearning.com/2017/07/13/jewish-sephardi-wedding-recipes-and-traditions/|access-date=2021-03-06|website=My Jewish Learning|language=en-US}}</ref>

Similarly, [[Christian symbolism]] often uses almond branches as a symbol of the [[virgin birth of Jesus]]; paintings and [[icon]]s often include [[Mandorla|almond-shaped haloes]] encircling the [[Christ Child]] and as a symbol of [[Mary, the mother of Jesus|Mary]]. The word "luz", which appears in Genesis 30:37, sometimes translated as "[[hazel]]", may actually be derived from the [[Aramaic]] name for almond (Luz), and is translated as such in the [[New International Version]] and other versions of the Bible.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g8YSB2K9d1oC&pg=PA37 |title=The meaning of trees: botany, history, healing, lore|author=Fred Hageneder |page=37|isbn=978-0-8118-4898-5|publisher=Chronicle Books|date=September 2005 }}</ref> The Arabic name for almond is لوز "lauz" or "lūz". In some parts of the Levant and North Africa, it is pronounced "loz", which is very close to its Aramaic origin.

The [[Entrance of the flower]] (''La entrada de la flor'') is an event celebrated on 1 February in [[Torrent, Valencia|Torrent]], Spain, in which the clavarios and members of the Confrerie of the Mother of God deliver a branch of the first-blooming almond-tree to the Virgin.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sena |first1=Laura |title=Fuego y flor de almendro en l'Entrà de Torrent |url=http://www.levante-emv.com/horta/2016/02/02/fuego-flor-almendro-lentra-torrent/1373887.html |date=2 February 2016 |website=levante-emv.com |publisher=Levante |access-date=11 May 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525161925/http://www.levante-emv.com/horta/2016/02/02/fuego-flor-almendro-lentra-torrent/1373887.html |archive-date=25 May 2017}}</ref>

== See also ==

* [[Fruit tree forms]]
* [[Fruit tree propagation]]
* [[Fruit tree pruning]]
* [[List of almond dishes]]
* [[List of edible seeds]]
* [[Candied almonds]]
* [[Dragée]] – a candy.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons}}

* {{Wikispecies inline|Prunus amygdalus|''Prunus amygdalus''}}
* {{PFAF|Prunus dulcis}}
* [http://fruitsandnuts.ucdavis.edu/datastore/?ds=391&reportnumber=612&catcol=2806&categorysearch=Almond University of California Fruit and Nut Research and Information Center] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121206105214/http://fruitsandnuts.ucdavis.edu/datastore/?ds=391&reportnumber=612&catcol=2806&categorysearch=Almond |date=6 December 2012 }}

{{Nuts}}
{{fatsandoils}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q39918|from2=Q15545507}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Almonds| ]]
[[Category:Prunus|Almond]]
[[Category:Edible nuts and seeds]]
[[Category:Flora of temperate Asia]]
[[Category:Pollination management]]
[[Category:Snack foods]]
[[Category:Nut oils|Almond oil]]
[[Category:Crops]]
[[Category:Fruit trees]]
[[Category:Symbols of California]]
[[Category:Taxa named by August Batsch]]