Almond, Prunus amygdalus

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Almond

Prunus amygdalus

Description: The almond tree, which sometimes grows to 12.2 meters, looks like a

peach tree. The fresh almond fruit resembles a gnarled, unripe peach and grows in

clusters. The stone (the almond itself) is covered with a thick, dry, woolly skin.

Habitat and Distribution: Almonds are found in the scrub and thorn forests of the

tropics, the evergreen scrub forests of temperate areas, and in desert scrub and

waste in all climatic zones. The almond tree is also found in the semidesert areas of

the Old World in southern Europe, the eastern Mediterranean, Iran, the Middle East,

China, Madeira, the Azores, and the Canary Islands.

Edible Parts: The mature almond fruit splits open lengthwise down the side, exposing

the ripe almond nut. You can easily get the dry kernel by simply cracking open the

stone. Almond meats are rich in food value, like all nuts. Gather them in large

quantities and shell them for further use as survival food. You could live solely on

almonds for rather long periods. When you boil them, the kernel's outer covering

comes off and only the white meat remains.