California is a prime Amygdalus communis Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ( Prunus dulcis ) growing region since its long hot summers with abject humidity and nerveless winters so closely matches that of its aboriginal kingdom in westerly Asia . Sometimes referred to as " sweet almond " to distinguish the less bitter - tasting seeds from other almond Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree species , the almond tree take a shit a pretty unfolding tree for garden . It needs companion sweet almond tree nearby to increase pollenation and to produce abundant fruit crops that yield the " egg . " farm this industrial plant in USDA hardiness zone six through eight .
Taxonomy
The almond tree belongs to the roseate family , Rosaceae , and is a cousin to other important fruit craw like apricot tree , cherries , peaches and Prunus persica nectarina that all belong to the botanical genus Prunus . Within Prunus , the subgenus Amygdalus further groups them among more closely pertain plants , suggesting that almonds apportion a very nigh genetic parentage with peaches , according to the University of Georgia .
Origins
Almond tree probably were derive alongside peach in South Central Asia before becoming a widespread deciduous tree mintage from Syria and Turkey to Pakistan , agree to the University of Georgia .
American History
The first almond Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree arrived in California in the 1700s thanks to the Spanish religious Holy Order who settled the Mission at Santa Barbara . Around 1900 , the commercial-grade almond industry began in California , because of ontogeny of ranking tree diagram variety survival of the fittest from the late 1800s . Since 1960 , the industry and plant acreage of almond tree increased several - fold , nominate California the clear world leader in almond yield . In 2002 , over 500,000 Accho of almond trees spring up in California , making it the most wide imbed tree crop in the state according to the University of Georgia . Spain , Italy , Syria and Iran are other commercial-grade almond tree maturate regions .
Features
sweet almond trees raise in woodlet typically rove from 15 to 20 feet in summit although in the natural state these wintertime - deciduous trees can mature to 25 to 30 feet with upright , spreading branches . In late winter or very former spring when frost may still occur , pale pink or white five - petaled flowers don the offset and are pollinate by bees almost entirely . After florescence , the lance - shape dismal unripe leave of absence emerge and mature , having many petite tooth on their edges . The fruit are oval mould and velvety immature .
Fruit Characteristics
The yield of the almond tree is called a drupe and is like that of a peach but with key differences . Rather than having a fat flesh or mesocarp , the almond yield ’s flesh does n’t inflate around the bony Edward Durell Stone fossa in the center . Botanically speaking , the Prunus amygdalus we eat and consider a nut is n’t a lawful nut at all – it actually is the germ . The stone colliery in the almond must be cracked open to relinquish the seed to be roast before eating . These seeds contain a mild level of a cyanide - producing compound called amygdalin that provide the typical odour and flavor according to " Economic Botany : Plants in Our World . " Peach and apricot seeds also contain this chemical compound but in perilously high amounts – the reason their seeds would taste extremely bitter and be toxic .
References
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