Do Almonds Grow on Trees + How Do Almonds Grow
13.06.2023 - 20:50
/ balconygardenweb.com
All nuts, with the exception of the peanut, grow on trees. Almonds grow on trees as well and are a native of the Mediterranean region and Central Asia. Almonds trees can now be found in Europe, Africa, Asia, and in California. The latter is where most of the almonds come from that are sold in the United States and other parts of the world. The United States is the biggest producer of almonds.
The confusion surrounding the growth habits of almonds comes from two factors–One it’s a stone fruit and two peanuts are not nuts, but legumes.
Stone fruit is a seed surrounded by a fleshy casing, like a peach. Whereas peach seeds are not edible, and the fleshy casing is, the opposite is true for almonds. The interior seed, or nut, is the desired food, not the fleshy casing.
Peanuts also create confusion for the almond. Peanuts grow underground and form a small bush above the ground. However, peanuts are not nuts at all, but rather a legume. Peanuts are related to soybeans, black beans, and chickpeas.
Almond trees grow best in climates that have mild, wet winters and warm, dry summers. Not hot summer, but warm like the Mediterranean climate! The trees are drought-tolerant as well!
But most of the varieties are not self-fertile, so if you plan on growing almond trees and enjoying the produce, you will need a minimum of two trees. However, if you want to grow one tree due to lack of space, the good news is that scientists are developing new self-fertile varieties, you can find them online or at nearby nurseries.
Almond trees are a relatively small tree and will reach a mature height of between 12-20 feet, in some cases they grow up to 30 feet tall! Because of their small size and other growing habits, two almond trees can be planted in the