Prunus dulcis Fruit me Almond me

The Almond Tree or Prunus dulcis Fruit Me Almond Me is an interesting Spanish variety known for its compact size, good productivity, and self-fertile nature, meaning that it does not require another almond tree nearby to produce fruit. This selection is also characterized by its quick fruiting, even at a young age, and its good cold resistance. The medium-sized fruits have a soft shell that is easy to crack to extract the almond. While appreciated for its delicate fruits, which are harvested dry in August-September, this Mediterranean fruit tree covered in white-pink flowers is a beautiful addition to the garden in late winter. This almond tree will adapt its growth to the amount of available soil.

The Fruit Me Almond Me almond tree is part of a series of semi-dwarf fruit trees that are quite revolutionary and have recently been developed in Spain. All the fruit trees in this range are grafted onto a state-of-the-art rootstock that adapts to the available soil volume while allowing for early fruiting. The Fruit Me range of fruit trees is also easy to grow, reliable, and less susceptible to diseases.

The Fruit Me Almond Me almond tree is a small tree with a semi-open and branched crown that reaches about 3.50 meters (11 feet) in height and 3 meters (10 feet) in width when grown in the ground. When grown in a pot, it will remain much smaller. This variety starts producing almonds at a young age. The tree has simple, thin, and pointed leaves, measuring up to 8 cm (3in) long and 2.5 cm (1in) wide, with dentate margins. They are medium green and slightly glossy on the upper surface. The deciduous foliage turns yellow in autumn before falling. Flowering occurs in March-April on the bare branches. It is abundant and slightly fragrant. Each flower has 5 petals in a white-pink colour and measures about 3.5 cm (1in) in diameter. This flowering period produces high-quality nectar, which is highly sought after by bees at this time of year. It is followed by the formation of oblong fruits covered with a velvety green-gray skin, measuring up to 4 cm (2in) long. Towards the end of summer, the skin dries out and cracks, revealing the soft shell that protects the edible almond. The harvest of Fruit Me Almond Me almonds takes place in June for fresh almonds and in August-September for dry almonds.

In the first two years after its establishment, the Fruit Me Almond Me almond tree is sensitive to frost, but afterwards it is quite hardy, down to at least -15°C (5°F) in the ground and slightly less in a pot. However, cold weather can make its fruiting unpredictable as the flowers are very early and sensitive to frost. It is difficult to harvest almonds above the Lyon region. It thrives best in dry, rocky, and limestone soils, even in exposed locations. This tree dislikes soils that retain moisture to the point that it can deteriorate rapidly within a few days.

The cultivated almond tree (Prunus dulcis) belongs to the rose family, just like cherry and 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. In order to obtain fruit, it is imperative that the flowering does not freeze, which limits almond tree cultivation to areas with a Mediterranean climate characterized by short winters, such as southern China, southwestern North America (California), South America (central Chile), South Africa, and Australia.

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 surrounding the stone is not edible. Enjoy not only the delicious fruit but also the fragrant flowering that heralds spring.