Sweet Almond

Prunus avium

Native to:
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Corse, Cyprus, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Krym, Libya, Morocco, Netherlands, North Caucasus, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Transcaucasus, Tunisia, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Ukraine

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Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Rosaceae
Genus:
Prunus
Species:
Prunus avium
USDA Symbol:
PRDU

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Tree
Height:
2000 cm
Drought Tolerance:
Medium
Bloom Months:
apr,may
Bloom Colors:
white

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:
★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

almond moth (Cadra cautella), Archips nr. argyrospilus, Ashen Pinion (Lithophane antennata), Black-etched Prominent (Cerura scitiscripta), Brown-tail moth (Euproctis chrysorrhoea), Carob moth (Ectomyelois ceratoniae), Cecropia moth (Hyalophora cecropia), Cinnamon Tussock Moth (Dasychira cinnamomea), Elegant Sheep Moth (Hemileuca eglanterina), Ephestiodes infimella, Euchlaena pectinaria, Eulia Leafroller (Eulia ministrana), Eumacaria latiferrugata, fall cankerworm (Alsophila pometaria), Fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea), Fig moth (Cadra figulilella), fruit-tree leafroller (Archips argyrospila), Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana), green oak slug moth (Parasa chloris), Gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar), Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella), Io moth (Automeris io), Isa textula, lanceolate dagger moth (Acronicta lanceolaria), Large Lace-border (Scopula limboundata), leaf crumpler moth (Acrobasis indigenella), lesser peachtree borer (Synanthedon pictipes), Monoleuca semifascia, northern furcula moth (Furcula borealis), Obliquebanded leafroller (Choristoneura rosaceana), orange tortrix moth (Argyrotaenia citrana), Pandemis leafroller (Pandemis pyrusana), Parornix geminatella, Peach tree borer (Synanthedon exitiosa), Phyllonorycter crataegella, reticulated sparganothis moth (Sparganothis reticulatana), stinging rose caterpillar (Parasa indetermina), ugly-nest caterpillar moth (Archips cerasivorana), Ultronia underwing (Catocala ultronia), Wild Cherry Sphinx (Sphinx drupiferarum)

Reported Fauna Sightings

Bees: Common eastern (Bombus impatiens) Moths:Eastern Tent Caterpillar (Malacosoma americana) Butterflies:⚠️Atala butterfly (Eumaeus atala), Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), Great Purple Hairstreak (Atlides halesus), ⚠️Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:
birds, small mammals
Fragrant:
Yes
Fall Color:
yellow, orange, red

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
Cold/moist stratification required — 90–150 days
Germination Time:
14–60 days
Notes:
Seeds require cold stratification; fresh seed germinates more readily than dried seed.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI