Almonds, known to all, are not a nut, but a fruit bone of a plant belonging to the genus of plum. This is the closest relative of apricot, peach and other representatives of the Pink family.
Botanical Description
Almonds - a low densely branched tree or shrub with a round or pyramidal crown. The trunks are thin, not wider than 10–15 cm, covered with dark brown or brown, slightly wrinkled bark. The root system is powerful, penetrates the soil to a depth of 4-5 m. Young shoots are long, reddish. Skeletal branches are shorter.
Simple petiolate leaves, lanceolate, fine-toothed, with pointed tips. The length of the plates is 7–10 cm, the upper part is dark green, smooth, with feathery veins, and the lower part is slightly lighter.
The flowers are bisexual, solitary, sessile, 1-3 cm in diameter, white, cream, pink or light red in color, with a pronounced bitter aroma. Calyx is cup-shaped, five-petalled, with many stamens and one pestle. In decorative varieties, buds are terry. Almonds bloom profusely and relatively early: from the beginning of April, when there are no leaves on the branches.
Fruits - bivalve drupes 2.5–4 cm in size, shaped like peaches. The pericarp is light green, fleecy, dense. As it ripens, it dries and cracks, the wings open slightly, releasing an elongated brown bone. Depending on the type, the shell of the almond is hard or soft. The thicker it is, the larger the fruit kernels contained inside. The peeled almonds are covered with a yellowish or brown film, the flesh is light, oily, in cultivars it is nutritious, with a delicate taste and aroma.
Greens, flowers and fruits of almonds contain a potent substance amygdalin - a component of hydrocyanic acid. In wild species, its concentration is higher.
Despite the plant's resistance to cold up to –25 ° C, it is thermophilic. Flowers that managed to open quickly die in the spring from unexpected frosts, due to which the fruiting of trees in the current and next years is sharply reduced.
Fruits the plant from 5-6 years of age. The total lifespan of the almond tree is 80–100 years.
Where grows
Almonds are common in regions with a warm subtropical climate. Grows in the Near and Central Asia:
- Uzbekistan
- Tajikistan
- Afghanistan
- Iran
- Tunisia
- Syria
- Pakistan.
A tree is comfortable in Transcaucasia, on the Mediterranean coast:
- Spain
- Italy
- Greece
- Portugal.
A favorable climate for almonds in the southern territories of North America: in California, Florida, in Australia. Very demanding on the level of illumination, heat-resistant, grows in areas from 800 to 1500 m above sea level. Prefers soils with a high calcium content, loose, with good drainage. It does not tolerate saline, acidic and heavy clay soils.
Varieties
Among the fruit and decorative varieties of plants, several are popular.
Ordinary
In addition to the wild variety - bitter almonds, there is a cultivated one, with sweet fruits suitable for eating. Densely branched shrubs or small trees 4–5 m high with dark green glossy lanceolate leaves. White or light pink flowers bloom in April. The fruits have a size of about 3 cm, ripen in late July. The nuclei are large, elongated, bright brown in color. The yield of sweet almond varieties reaches 10-12 kg per tree. Fruits in about 25 years. The greatest number of fruits is in trees 12–15 years old.
Low (bean)
Low-growing shrub 1-2 m high with a dense spherical or trapezoidal crown. Leaves are lanceolate, bright green, fleshy. Flowers 1-2 cm in diameter, dark pink or red. The species is fruiting, kernels 1–1.5 cm in size, oily, bitter. Bobovnik tolerates prolonged drought well, is thermophilic and sensitive to a lack of sunlight. On the basis of the species, decorative varieties with abundant flowering and large fruits are selected: Pink Flamingo, White Sail, Anyuta, Pink Fog.
Georgian
The natural range of the species is Transcaucasia. Georgian almonds resemble bean bosom, but with less dense shoots. Crowns are pyramidal, openwork. The flowers are light pink, rare, bloom in April. The leaves are wide, with sharp tips, up to 8 cm long. Fruits annually. More frost resistant than other species. Unpretentious to the composition of soils, it can grow on stony, meager soils in conditions of prolonged drought.
Almond Ledebour
Altai view. Wide low shrub with abundant flowering. The length of the shoots is 1.5–2 m. The petals are bright pink or cream bloom in mid-spring until foliage appears. Fruits 2.5 cm in size with a light green fleecy skin. The nuclei are bright brown, oblong.
Three-bladed
Central Asian thermophilic species. Lush shrub 1.5–3 m high with dense dense crowns. It blooms profusely, fragrant buds, light pink or crimson color, with a diameter of 3–3.5 cm. There are varieties with simple and double petals. The leaves are dark green, lobed, on the underside are slightly pubescent, velvety to the touch. Popular hybrid varieties of the species: Chinese, Ruslana, Tanyusha, Svetlana, Kiev.
Application
Almond trees are the early honey carriers: sources of nectar and pollen. Decorative species with abundant flowering are planted in the gardens.
Wild almonds are not eaten due to the high content of toxic glycoside. They are used as raw materials for fatty oils and natural flavors.
Cultivated Almonds - A Valuable Fruit Plant. Its grains contain vegetable protein, fats, almost the entire spectrum of B vitamins, tocopherol, organic acids, calcium, iron, potassium. They are eaten separately, used in cooking, confectionery industry for the manufacture of nut pasta, creams, almond flour, sauces and essences.
Essential oil is used to flavor food and cosmetic products. Fatty oil is used in pharmaceuticals as the basis for the preparation of ointments and creams.
Landing
It is recommended to plant almonds in the spring, in thoroughly warmed soil. The site should be protected from the cold north and north-west winds, well lit by the sun. You can not place the plant in the shade of buildings, tall trees and fences. If you plan to obtain fruits, you need to plant several specimens - the almonds are pollinated crosswise and only by insects, so apiaries should be near.
Optimum soil acidity for almonds: 4.5–7 pH. At a higher level, it is advisable to add lime or dolomite flour.
The depth of the holes for seedlings depends on the type. Dwarf varieties need pits of 30 cm. Tall - about 50 cm. The distance between them should be at least 3 m. A 10-centimeter layer of drainage of brick chips or small stones is laid on the bottom. On top, a little nutrient mixture is poured from rotted manure and mineral fertilizer with a mandatory phosphorus content. Seedlings are placed in the holes so that the root necks protrude 1–2 cm above the surface. The roots are gently covered with soil, densely compacted. Near the plants, it is desirable to place supporting pegs 50-60 cm high. The trunks are tied to them with thin twine.
Immediately after planting, almonds are watered: 10-15 liters of water per instance. Trunk circles are recommended to be mulched with a thick layer of peat: about 5-7 cm.
Care
Frequency of irrigation of young plants: 1 time per week, 10 liters of water per plant. The ground around the trunks of almonds must be loosened to a depth of 5-7 cm, if mulch is not used. Starting from the age of 3, moisten the bushes less often: only in dry periods, when the soil dries to a depth of 2 cm. Root system cannot be swamped.
In the first days of the growing season, almonds can be fed with nitrogen, during the summer it is useful to water 1-2 times with a liquid solution of mullein or bird droppings. At the beginning of summer, it is recommended to add 20 g of ammonium nitrate and 10 g of urea under each bush, dissolving them in a bucket of water. In October: 20 g each of superphosphate and potassium sulfate.
Sanitary pruning of the crown is done in early spring, before the start of active sap flow. Forming haircut - in the middle of summer, leaving the strongest shoots. The contours and the length by which the shoots are to be shortened, it is desirable to outline in advance.
Young trees must be protected from frost by covering the root neck with a thick layer of leaves or peat. The crown needs to be wrapped in lutrasil. Adult plants do not need shelter.
Breeding
Almonds are propagated by seed method only for growing rootstock - trunks, on which varietal plants will subsequently be grafted. They are sown to a depth of 8-10 cm, sprouts are watered and fed until they reach a height of 50 cm. Lateral shoots are regularly removed.
The graft must be developed, have healthy growth buds. Inoculate it in the summer, placing it under the bark, in a T-shaped incision on the stock, at a height of about 10 cm above the root neck. Fix with a plaster or tape. In the fall, the vaccination site is spudded with soil.
Another method of reproduction - apical cuttings. The material should be semi-lignified, 15–20 cm long. For rooting, it should be placed in a mixture of peat and sand for a month and kept at + 18–20 ° C.
Adult overgrown bushes are bred by root offspring or layering. In the first case, the shoot with a part of the roots is dug up and planted in a new place at the end of summer. Take and root side shoots. At the junction with the soil, several notches are made on their crust. Own roots at the layers appear within a few months.
Pests and diseases
Almonds can be affected by fungal infections: molaria, scab, gray rot, klyasterosporiosis, rust. For treatment, fungicidal preparations are used: Topaz or Fundazole. Before spraying, diseased branches are cut off.
Aphids, spider mites, leafworms are terrible of parasites.. Tree foliage should be inspected regularly. If damage to greenery or live insects is found, it is necessary to treat the crowns with one of the insecticides: Zolon or Calypso. Acarin or Agravertin helps get rid of spider mites.