History & Legend How They Grow
History & Legend
Where It All Began
The World's First Trail Mix
A Nut on the Move
Almonds in Antiquity
All In The Family
Those Nutty Pioneers
Nuts About Weddings
A Nut of Mythic Proportions
Almonds in the Bible
A Literary Nut
Almonds in the Arts


Where it all began
Long before humans began planting them in orchards, almond trees grew wild on the slopes of Central Asia. They dotted the ancient Silk Road the connected the West with China, providing nourishment to explorers and traders who made this difficult journey.
The World's First Trail Mix
Prehistoric nomads mixed ground almonds, chopped dates, pistachio bits, sesame oil and breadcrumbs to create the first trail mix. The almond's high nutritional/health value and long storage life made it ideal for travel.
A Nut on the Move
As a popular travel food, humans carried almonds across many old trade routes and cities. Wherever they roamed, wild almond trees soon followed - the rugged almond quickly taking root wherever it fell.
Almonds in Antiquity
Flourishing in hot, dry regions, almonds spread rapidly across the Middle East, Northern Africa and the Mediterranean. By 4,000 B.C., almonds were eaten in nearly every ancient civilization. In fact, the almond trade played a key rold in many early economies including those of France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey.
All In The Family
Hard to believe, but almonds and peaches share a common genetic ancestor. Many speculate that as the wild almond tree migrated east toward China, it gradually adapted to the humidity of its new climate, and over thousands of years evolved into the modern day peach.
Those Nutty Pioneers
Almonds didn't arrive in America until the late eighteenth century when Spanish Franciscan priests planted almond trees among the California coast. Requiring a hot, dry climate to flourish, these original almond plantings fared poorly in the cool, wet weather of the coastal missions.
Nuts About Weddings
In cultural antiquity, the almond symbolized fertility and marriage. Ancient pagans used almonds as fertility charms. Romans showered newlyweds with them to ensure a happy union. In many countries, including America, candied almonds are still offered at weddings to symbolize good fortune.
A Nut of Mythic Proportions
The flowering almond tree appears in many myths and legends. One of the more memorable is the myth of Phyllis, queen of ancient Thrace. She died of grief after being abandoned by her lover. Taking pity, the gods changed her into an almond tree. When her lover returns and is shown to the leafless tree, it burst into bloom - a symbol of everlasting love.
Almonds in the Bible
Almonds are often mentioned in the Bible as objects of value and symbols of hope. When a famine strikes ancient Canaan, Jacob asks his sons to bring almonds to Egypt to exchange for grain. Moses is told to distribute 12 almond branches and look for the one that blossomed as a sign of God's favor. The traditional Hebrew Menorah (seven-branched candelabra) features almond blossoms in its design.
A Literary Nut
The almond's been a favorite symbol of writers from the Bible onward. In Shakespeare's time, almond trees were common in London gardens and orchards. Spenser describes them in his famous "Fairy Queen", and Shakespeare refers to the almond in "Troilus and Cressida", as a powerful symbol of temtation.
Almonds in the Arts
In the world of art, the almond's beautiful shape and symbolism have influenced everything from Persian rugs to Italian mandolins. Van Gogh alone devoted over a dozen paintings to their likeness.
How They Grow
A Budding Nut
Bees and Blossoms
Fuzzy Fruit
The Big Shakedown
Budding Nut
In the life of a California nut - a true oxymoron - Fall is when the first flower parts begin to appear around the edges of the growing buds. These tiny green buds remain dormand until early January.
Bees and Blossoms
A mild January and February produces an explosion of spectacular, pinkish-white almond blossoms. Because almond trees require cross-pollination, at least two varieties of trees are necessary. Honeybees are brought in to cross-pollinate the flowers. Without their help, almond trees would be unable to produce nuts.
Fuzzy Fruit
After the last petals fall and tree branches are thick with leaves, fuzzy green fruit begin to appear. Known as the "hull", it is the nutrient source that encases the nuts outside shell and nutmeat as they grow through the early summer. By July, the inner shell has hardened and the hull begins to dry and split on the tree. This signals the nuts are ready for harvest.
The Big Shakedown
Around harvest time, orchard floors are first swept clear of debris. Then mechanical "tree shakers" shake the in-hull nuts to the ground where they briefly remain to dry. Piled into rows, the dried nuts are collected then taken away to be hulled and processed.