Common Almond Tree - Prunus dulcis

The Common Almond Tree or Prunus dulcis is the cultivated almond tree that distinguishes itself from wild varieties with bitter almonds ('dulcis' means sweet in Latin). It is a small tree well adapted to the Mediterranean climate. While it can withstand the cold in more northern regions, its early flowering is often destroyed by frost, greatly limiting its interest in planting there! Growing in neutral to calcareous, rocky, and dry soils, it is a fairly easy fruit tree to cultivate in its preferred climate and requires little maintenance.

The cultivated almond tree (Prunus dulcis) belongs to the Rosaceae family, just like cherry trees or plum trees. It originates from the Caucasian almond tree, known as Prunus fenzliana, a shrub native to Armenia, Turkey, and Iran. It has been cultivated for a very long time in the Mediterranean region and for several decades in many arid regions. To obtain fruits, it is imperative that the flowering does not freeze, which confines almond tree cultivation to climatic zones governed by a Mediterranean-type climate with short winters: southern China, southwestern North America (California), South America (central Chile), South Africa, Australia, and obviously the Mediterranean region. In France, it mainly thrives in the historical Olive zone.
The almond tree forms a small tree about 8m (26ft) high and as wide, but can reach a height of 10 to 12m (33 to 39ft). In its native range, it lives for about a hundred years, enchanting the landscapes with its early flowering in white-pink or light pink in February-March. Each flower has 5 petals and measures about 3 to 5cm (1 to 2in) in diameter. This flowering produces excellent quality nectar, highly sought after by bees at this time of year. It is followed by the formation of oblong fruits covered with a velvety skin of a soft green color, measuring up to 4cm (2in) long. By the end of summer, the skin dries out and cracks, revealing the hard shell that protects the edible almond. The harvest of sweet almonds is done in June for fresh almonds and in September for dried almonds. In plant anatomy, the term "almond" refers to the interior of the seed. The fruits of Prunus dulcis are called almonds because only this part is consumed. The pulp that surrounds the stone is not edible.
The almond tree is a valuable fruit tree for rocky and dry areas with limestone soil, where it manages to grow and bear fruit. However, it does not disdain a minimum of watering in summer (professional plantations are irrigated with drip irrigation to secure and regulate production). The important thing is to provide it with well-draining growing conditions, as it does not tolerate excess water at the root level. Under these conditions, it proves to be quite resistant and requires very little maintenance, mainly consisting of light winter pruning to remove dead wood or balance its habit.

The almond tree will be perfectly at home in a Mediterranean orchard or a natural garden that favours species of wild origin or appearance, such as the Strawberry Tree with its almost permanent display of small white bell-shaped flowers and bright orange to red fruits. Rockroses will also be good companion plants in a natural setting to constitute a low vegetation layer, with their pretty single flowers in various colors depending on the variety, as well as their green or grey foliage, or even velvety.  To delight all the senses, aromatic plants like Lavenders and Rosemary will complete the scene, capable of aesthetically rivaling horticultural plants' sophistication while providing a guarantee of robustness.