I’ve recently become more interested in almonds, since Javid’s Iranian became available in Canada. A few years ago it was hard to find anything except Hall’s Hardy—a peach x almond cross, typically described as having very hard shells and fairly bitter kernels. So, I planted Javid’s Iranian this spring and I’m very optimistic about it.
However, after reading more about almonds, I’ve learned about the existence of soft-shell varieties—now I want one of those too.
Mostly, though, I’ve been wondering about almond traits and genetics. As far as I understand, generally prunus dulcis has self-sterile, white to pale pink blooms, is hardy roughly to zone 7 or 8, and produces mildly flavoured, sweet seeds with an easily crackable shell. By contrast, prunus persica has self-fertile, deep pink flowers, is hardy to zone 4 or 5, and produces strongly flavoured, but inedibly bitter seeds in a very hard shell. Hall’s hardy is a prunus dulcis x persica hybrid, and it is easy to see the peach influence—the flowers are deep pink and self-fertile, the tree is very hardy, the seeds are somewhat bitter, and the shells are very hard. Javid’s Iranian is similar—the flowers are pale pink, it is self-fertile, it is very hardy, the kernels are strongly flavoured and the pits are hard. I’ve read speculation that it is also a hybrid, which makes sense to me, given how much like a peach it is.
So, I’m left with many questions. Do almonds generally fall on a continuum between peach-like traits and almond-like traits or is this unique to a few, probably hybrid, cultivars? Are there peach genes mixed into most, or many, wild almond populations? Are there traits like soft shells or self-sterility that separate almonds from hybrids? Are there hardy (zone 7a at least) soft shell almonds? Are all commercial almonds prunus dulcis or are there other species (besides prunus persica) mixed in?
I’ve also read disputes over whether cross-pollination with peaches can cause bitter kernels. I have a peach, so it would be good to know if anyone has experienced this before.
Also, I once had some excellent young green almonds and now I’m wondering if you need a soft shell variety to eat them that way, or does either type work because the pit hasn’t developed much by that point?
Most of all, do you think I will be missing some essential almond-ness with my peachish almond, or is an almond an almond?