Everyone knows almonds. But since it grows in the south, residents of the northern regions have little idea of a tree that feeds us with healthy fruits. Moreover, little is known about the types of almonds, only to those who grow the crop.
General description of the plant
Although it is known about 3 varieties of almonds: sweet, bitter and thin-walled, there are many varieties of the plant, and they have their own characteristics and differences.You can try to grow frost-resistant almonds, which are successfully cultivated in areas with moderately cold winters.
What all types of culture have in common is that it:
- has the form of a tree up to 5-6 meters high or a bush;
- blooms before the leaves appear;
- covered with single white or pinkish buds from April to May;
- in June-July or September it bears fruit with drupes covered with green or gray hair.
Inside the drupe is a nut, which is an oval, nail-like seed. It is a valuable product containing many microelements, vitamins, and substances that have a positive effect on the human body.
Varieties of almonds
Breeders have worked on ordinary almonds and developed varieties that, in addition to nutritional value, are highly decorative. You can choose the type of almond whose description will tell you what exactly it should be grown in the garden plot.
Sweet Dreams
Low-growing almond bushes reach a height of 1.5 meters. The plant belongs to the steppe bean variety. Attention is drawn to the reddish bark of the stems and the spherical crown. Planting a crop looks beautiful when the bush is covered with bright pink flowers with a diameter of 2 centimeters. The bean variety blooms in the 3rd year of life and bears fruit in the 5th. Flowering begins in May and lasts 2 weeks.
The advantage of growing almonds is that they:
- resistant to frost;
- tolerates drought well;
- undemanding to soil composition;
- can grow in partial shade.
The shrub needs fertilizing and abundant moisture without stagnant water.
Victoria
This type of almond is suitable for steppe regions. The medium-sized shrub grows successfully during periods of heat and drought. But it also tolerates frosts below 20 degrees well.The plant is suitable both for site design and for producing tasty fruits. After 5-6 years, you can collect almond drupes to enjoy the nuts.
Three-blade
An exclusively ornamental bush is not intended for fruiting. Even before the foliage appears, the almond blossoms begin. The diameter of the corolla is about 2 centimeters. The flowers are arranged in pairs. The color range of the buds ranges from white-pink to lavender and lilac. The dark green leaves bloom later and have a three-lobed structure. To ensure lush flowering, shoots are pruned. For 2-3 weeks, a lush cloud with a pleasant smell will decorate the area.
The species is characterized by resistance to frost, drought, and disease.
Coastal
The almond tree reaches a height of 2-3 meters. In the 4th-6th year of growth, rich harvests of sweet nuts are obtained. From 1 mature tree, up to 13 kilograms of a healthy oily product are collected. Tasters rate the taste of nuts at 4.6 points.
The almond variety can be grown anywhere: it withstands low temperatures and long-term drought.
When planting, it is worth placing trees with male and female flowers nearby, otherwise few ovaries will form. The variety prefers fertile soils and sunny places.
White sail
The ornamental shrub grows up to 3 meters tall. In early May, the crown is covered with snow-white flowers. Small inflorescences form a fragrant cap, delighting with its beauty from 14 to 20 days. The almond variety has been zoned in the southern regions. It tolerates drought well.
Comfortable conditions are created for the crop variety so that cold winds do not affect the bushes. Almonds do not like sudden temperature changes.
Anyuta
As a low-growing variety of bean, the variety is used in landscape design as a hedge.Straight shoots reach a height of up to 1.5 meters. The bushes tolerate drought and winter cold well.
In May, bright pink flowers with a diameter of more than 2 centimeters appear on the branches. At the end of summer, fruits with a sweet nut inside appear. Almonds are valued for their ease of care and undemanding conditions for growing.
Dream
Almond was created as a type of steppe bean. The spreading shoots of the plant form the shape of a shrub one meter high. Thanks to its spherical crown, the crop is used to solve landscape design problems. The bush is different:
- large pink flowers of rich tone;
- long narrow leaves of gray-green color;
- medium-sized fruits, slightly pubescent.
The buds form before the leaves in May, and the fruits ripen in July.
Amaretto
Amaretto almonds are intended for temperate latitudes as they can survive temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees. An adult tree reaches a height of 3 meters and has a spreading crown. Almonds are grown to produce sweet nuts. With good care, you can get up to 15 kilograms of dessert product from the tree. Each fruit weighs 4 grams.
The disadvantages of the variety include self-sterility. Therefore, Praline trees are planted nearby for pollination. The plant bears fruit well in lighted places, without shade, in fertile soils. The advantage of the tree is that little growth is formed on it, hence the rich harvests. The plant develops without being damaged in regions with cold winters up to 35 degrees below zero.
Michurina
A winter-hardy type of almond was developed by Michurin. He gave birth to other varieties of plants resistant to severe winter cold. Although the low-growing shrub bears fruit with edible drupes, its main purpose is decorative.Lush bushes that bloom for 2-3 weeks are used for hedges and to decorate the background of flower beds. The important thing is that the shrub grows better in illuminated areas.
Californian
One of the common varieties of almonds is Californian. In America it is the most popular nut crop. Varieties of different ripening periods have been developed. They are famous for their delicious, buttery large to medium sized nuts. Some of them are wrinkled, others have a smooth surface. The product is used for making desserts, drinks, and in the cosmetics industry.
Dessert
The medium-ripening variety begins flowering in early May, when the plant has reached its 3rd year of life. The crop is a tall tree with a spreading crown and the ends of the branches hanging down.
The fruits appear in September. Inside the shell is an easily separated nut. It has a dessert taste and aroma. The advantages of the culture include the fact that the plant:
- withstands frost;
- gives up to 15 kilograms of nuts;
- has strong immunity to fungal and viral infections;
- tends to form binucleate nuts.
For fruiting, the tree needs pollinators, which are planted at a distance of 2-3 meters.
Almond Volgograd
This type of almond has decorative qualities. It is suitable for steppe arid areas. The Volgograd variety is valued for its unpretentiousness. The shrub begins to bloom with pink buds at the end of April. The leaves of the variety are narrow, gray-green. Bobovnik produces fruits in late summer.
Foros
The hybrid has a dessert purpose, so it differs:
- high yields;
- large fruits with easily peelable shells;
- average ripening time.
Almonds grow in the form of a tree with a dense crown.In May it is covered with a pink cloud of flowers. Then narrow dark green leaves appear. The fruits are harvested in September. The Foros variety has many advantages, but it is adapted for cultivation in the North Caucasus region and Crimea.
Praline
Almonds bloom later than other varieties, when the threat of return frosts has passed. The plant is classified as medium-sized. The crown is broadly oval, of medium density. Praline's fruits are large, weighing from 3 to 6 grams. The nuts have a sweet, buttery taste and a pleasant aroma. They are easily separated from the soft shell.
Pink flamingo
The low-growing bean plant is interesting with its bright pink small double flowers. They completely cover the shoots, so that the bush becomes a decoration of the area for about 2-3 weeks. Bushes are used in single groups, hedges.
Pink fog
The beauty of blooming almonds fascinates for a long time. Flowering lasts longer in the sun than in the shade. Delicate shoots covered with large flowers create a festive mood in the country from May to April.
Georgian
The nut-bearing bush is cultivated in the Caucasus. The Georgian type of almond is suitable for breeding work. Its positive qualities: unpretentiousness, frost resistance, strong immunity - are used to create new varieties. In addition to being highly decorative, the plant bears fruit. But it does not differ in high yields.
Ledebour almond
The prevalence of the hybrid is high in the Altai Territory. The climate and weather conditions are comfortable for cultivating a decorative species. It blooms in April, and the petals fly off after 3 weeks. Large dark green leaves form a lush crown.
Petunnikova
This type of almond bush is cultivated in the gardens of Central Asia.Erect shoots grow to form a dense spherical crown. Small dark pink buds appear on brownish branches. They last 2 weeks. The leaves are lanceolate, dark green, have a pointed end and jagged edges. The fruits ripen in September. They are small, covered with an orange shell.
Antique
The almond variety of the Crimean selection was bred by the originator A. Richter. The tree grows up to 3 meters. It forms a wide crown. The fruits appear in September-October. The drupes are large, weighing up to 4 grams. The kernels are easily separated from the shell. Yields increase every year, reaching a peak in the 9th year of the tree's life. You can collect up to 5 kilograms of dry fruits from the plant. Almonds need pollinators to bear fruit. It is better to choose the Delon, Ayan variety. The crop is cultivated in the south.
Spicy
Nikitsky Botanical Garden of Crimea offers almonds:
- in the form of a vigorous tree with a wide dense crown;
- entering fruiting in the 4th year of life;
- ripening in mid-September;
- frost-resistant;
- with yields of 12 kilograms from 1 tree.
The fruits have a soft and thin shell, the kernels are sweet and oily.
How to grow
You can get a good harvest of almonds or grow an ornamental bush if you follow the rules for planting the crop. Only annual seedlings are selected. Planting is carried out in spring or autumn. For areas with a temperate climate, early March is best. It is preferable to choose an area with good lighting, closed from wind and drafts.
Planting holes are prepared in advance. Their dimensions correspond to 50 x 70 x 70 centimeters. The distance depends on the almond varieties chosen for planting. Trees need a gap of 5-6 meters, bushes - 2-3 meters.
The soil on the site should be neutral in acidity and fertile.The soil on the site is mixed with humus, peat, and a small amount of sand.
The seedling is placed in the center of the hole, and a peg is driven in nearby. Sprinkle the roots with soil so that the root collar is 5-6 centimeters above the ground surface. After compacting the tree trunk circle, water and mulch the soil around the seedling.
Almond care
For better fruiting, the crop needs:
- Feed. In spring, application of ammonium nitrate or manure is suitable. In autumn, potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are needed.
- Water. It is necessary to constantly monitor the condition of the soil around the tree. As soon as the soil begins to dry out, water it. 1 plant needs 10 liters of water.
- Trim. Sick and damaged branches are pruned in the spring. After flowering, annual shoots are shortened.
- Prepare for winter. In autumn, pinch the ends of the branches, removing the apical buds. Standard types are covered with non-woven material, spruce branches.
Caring for the plant is easy. Ornamental species tolerate bad weather and cold well. Fruit-bearing trees can only be planted in the south.
