Almond trees were domesticated as far back as 3.000 BC and have been part of Mediterranean culture for millennia. Approximately 1.7 million tons of almonds are produced every year around the world. Spain is the second largest almond producer in the world (13% of annual production) after the United States (over 40 percent annually) and relies on Andalucia and Valencia as its main producing regions.

Almond trees add a special charm to the landscapes of Andalucia. Their willowy wispy branches and delicate flowers grace hillsides and craggy cliffy areas with an elegant beauty. The colours and scents of their blossoms bring the countryside to life. On one hand, it’s an amazing experience to drive through large expanses of land cultivated with almond trees, but an even more delicious experience is to walk through the groves.

If you travel across southern Spain while the almond trees are in full bloom, you’ll probably notice that some are white and others are pink. The white blossoms produce sweet almonds while the pink ones produce the bitter variety. The latter contain cyanide which must be removed before consuming the extract of these nuts.

Should you be lucky enough to own an estate full of almond trees, you might be interested to know that you can graft the following shoots into your trees: other varieties of almonds, peaches, plums, nectarines and apricots. Of course you can also give this a try with a single tree growing in a pot on your terrace!

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