The almond (Prunus dulcis) is the edible seed of a small deciduous tree in the rose family, closely related to peaches, apricots, and plums. What we call the ’nut’ is actually the seed found inside the fruit’s hard stone (pit). The tree is native to western and central Asia and has been cultivated for thousands of years — almond remnants have been found at archaeological sites dating back to the early Bronze Age.
Almonds are one of the most commercially significant tree nuts in the world. They are eaten raw or roasted, ground into flour or meal, processed into milk, butter, and oil, and used extensively in baking, confectionery, and savoury dishes across many culinary traditions. Marzipan, frangipane, and amaretti are all almond-based.
The United States (particularly California) dominates global production, followed by Spain and Australia. Australia is in fact one of the world’s largest almond producers, with major growing regions in the Riverina, Sunraysia, and the Adelaide region of South Australia.
How it's produced
Almonds are farmed in orchards in regions with Mediterranean-type climates — warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. Trees are planted in rows and begin producing commercially viable crops around their third to fifth year, reaching full production by year six to eight. The trees require cross-pollination, so orchards depend heavily on managed honey bee hives during the brief spring flowering period.
At harvest, typically in late summer to autumn, mechanical shakers grip each tree trunk and vibrate the almonds loose. The nuts fall to the ground, where they are left to dry before being swept into rows and collected by harvesters. After collection, the outer hull and hard shell are mechanically removed to expose the edible kernel. The kernels are then sorted, graded, and processed. Almond farming requires significant water inputs, which has made it a focus of water-use debates, particularly in drought-prone growing regions.
What it costs the planet (per kilo)
≈ Estimated — worked out from a category-typical value further up its supply chain. Sources & methods →
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