Sweet Almond (Nut trees)

FOR ZONE 5

SELF FERTILE

It's finally here - a real almond that can thrive in Zone 5, perhaps even in a very sheltered Zone 4! When we acquired this potential celebrity, we had some questions. Can the trees survive our winters? Will the nuts ripen here? Will the flavor be as great as it is 'cracked up' to be? In our own experience, with trees fruiting at several local sites, our answer is a definite yes on all three counts. The claims for high disease resistance and late bloom period also seem to bear out, so we consider it 'the real deal'! This intriguing variety originated in the mountains of northern Iran, finding its way to North America through an acquaintance of Kentucky nurseryman, Cliff England, named Javid Now it's yours to enjoy!

Zone 2b

Prunus tenella is a deciduous Shrub growing to 80 cm (2ft 7in) by 1.5 m (5ft).
It is hardy to zone 2b in Canada an U.S. It is in flower in April, and the seeds ripen from Jul to August. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland). It prefers dry or moist soil.

Fruit - raw or cooked. The fruit is quite variable in quality, the best forms are somewhat mealy with a fairly nice flavour. The fruit is about 25mm in diameter and contains one large seed. Seed - raw or cooked. Do not eat the seed if it is too bitter - see the notes above on toxicity. Oil from the seed is used as an almond flavouring, it is inferior to the bitter almond oil obtained from P. dulcis.

Caution: Although no specific mention has been seen for this species, it belongs to a genus where most, if not all members of the genus produce hydrogen cyanide, a poison that gives almonds their characteristic flavour. This toxin is found mainly in the leaves and seed and is readily detected by its bitter taste. It is usually present in too small a quantity to do any harm but any very bitter seed or fruit should not be eaten. In small quantities, hydrogen cyanide has been shown to stimulate respiration and improve digestion, it is also claimed to be of benefit in the treatment of cancer. In excess, however, it can cause respiratory failure and even death.

Thrives in a well-drained moisture-retentive loamy soil. Prefers some lime in the soil but is likely to become chlorotic if too much lime is present. Requires a sunny position. Dormant plants are hardy to about -25°c to -32°C. Most members of this genus are shallow-rooted and will produce suckers if the roots are damaged. This plant is a free-growing suckering shrub. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus