When spring arrives, we begin to see how thousands of plants bloom. More specifically, the case of almond trees is a spectacle of nature. These fruit trees cover the ground around them with thousands of pink and white flowers, much like cherry blossoms. Although the almond tree is a very popular fruit tree for the fruit it bears, the almond tree, surely very few know what the almond blossom is called.
The purpose of this article is to answer this big question. In addition, we will tell you what exactly the almond tree is, what its flowers look like and when they bloom.
Contents
What is the almond tree?
Also known as Amygdalus communis That is prunus dulcis, the almond tree is a deciduous fruit tree that belongs to the Rosaceae family. It is mainly found in warm and temperate regions, as it does not tolerate cold very well. The main reason why this vegetable is grown is for its fruits, the almond, highly prized in the culinary, cosmetic and pharmacological world. Among the varieties of almonds most grown in Spain are the following: Largueta, Mallorca, Marcona, Mollares and Planeta.
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Main varieties of almond trees
Almond trees can reach a height of ten meters. They have a smooth greenish trunk when young, but as they age their trunk turns grayish and begins to crack. As for its leaves, they have a narrow and elongated shape, and their edges are jagged. Later we will discuss the name of the almond blossom and its appearance.
Story
The first places where the almond tree began to be cultivated were Palestine, Persia and Syria. According to biblical legends, the patriarch named Abraham built paddocks with almond sticks for his flocks. Another reference to this tree that we can find in the Bible is in the story of Aaron, who used an almond branch as a cane. Also, this tree is present in the earthly Paradise. This is not surprising, because in the Bible it has an important meaning. The almond tree symbolizes good fruit and vigilance. For this reason, it is also common to find one of these trees surrounding paintings of the Virgin Mary or the child Jesus, who is the fruit of the Virgin.
It was the Greeks who wanted to spread the almond tree throughout the Mediterranean basin, while at the end of the 18th century, Franciscan missionaries planted the first almond trees in the California region belonging to San Diego, native to our lands. Since then, the cultivation of the almond tree has continued in much of the planet to obtain its delicious fruits.
almond blossom
We already know what exactly this tree is, so now we’ll talk about what really interests us: What is the name of the almond blossom. Well, it is important to note that this vegetable got its name from the fruit it bears, the almond tree, and not from its beautiful flowers. These usually change color depending on what time of bloom they are in. In the event that the tree blooms early, its flowers will be more whitish. On the contrary, if the almond tree begins to flower later, it will be pink.
Regarding the appearance of almond blossoms, these are very similar to those of cherry. However, its size is a bit larger. Another aspect in which the two species differ is that the flowers of the almond tree do not have a floral pattern when it comes to growth, but rather grow directly on the trunk. In other words: they lack the typical finished stem that connects the flower to the branch.
name
But what is the almond blossom called? They don’t have a name per se, but They are named according to the degree of development in which they are found. The reason this is done is that the location of flowering is of paramount importance when it comes to almond production.
At first only a few green shoots appear on the trunk. Then, when those buds begin to turn pink, they enter the “bud” stage. Once these have begun to open and expand, comes the time when they are about to bloom. In this state, almond blossoms are called “popcorn” for its resemblance to this aperitif that we love to taste at the cinema.
When does the almond tree bloom?
When the flowering season begins, the almond tree is one of the first fruit trees to show its beautiful flowers. It begins to flower normally between the end of January and the month of March. It’s a bit early, isn’t it? The strategy of this vegetable is very simple: it prefers to risk losing its flowers if there is another frost rather than having to face the difficulties that would arise later trying to get enough water. If it is not able to absorb enough liquid during the summer, its fruits will not be able to ripen properly.
Generally, the almond tree is in full bloom from the end of March. However, some trees flower late. In these cases, flowering takes place for about seven days at the end of March. As we have already mentioned above, the flowers that develop later are distinguished by their pink color, while the first ones are more whitish.
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When does the almond tree bloom?
Two main factors determine when this fruit tree blooms: The geographical position in which the crop and variety in question is located. In general, almonds can be harvested between August and October.
If you like almond trees or just want to enjoy the spectacular flowering of these trees, a good option is to plant one in your orchard or garden. For that, I advise you to take a look at this advice article on planting almond trees.