Prunus dulcis Almond
Synonyms Prunus amygdalus
Family
Rosaceae
Genus
Prunus [PROO-nus]
classical name for the Plum
Species
dulcis
(For other uses, see Almond (disambiguation).)("Badam" redirects here. For some
villages in Iran, see Badam (disambiguation).) The almond (Prunus dulcis, syn. Prunus
amygdalus) is a species of tree native to the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent and
North Africa. "Almond" is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this
tree. Within the genus Prunus, it is classified with the peach in the subgenus
Amygdalus, distinguished from the other subgenera by the corrugated shell (endocarp)
surrounding the seed. The fruit of the almond is a drupe, consisting of an outer hull
and a hard shell with the seed, which is not a true nut, inside. Shelling almonds refers
to removing the shell to reveal the seed. Almonds are sold shelled or unshelled.
Blanched almonds are shelled almonds that have been treated with hot water to soften the
seedcoat, which is then removed to reveal the white embryo.