Prunus dulcis
Almond, Almond
(c) Trachemys, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Tree · Not Native
Prunus dulcis (Almond) is a non-native California tree in the Rosaceae family, recognized by large acuminate leaves, large pink flowers, and characteristic flattened velvety fruits.
Almond is a naturalized tree found in southern North Coast Ranges Interior, central Sierra Nevada Foothills, Central Valley, eastern San Francisco Bay Area, and southern South Coast Ranges in canyons, roadsides, and grasslands at elevations below 500 meters. Flowering from February to March, this tree produces pink to nearly white flowers 12 to 25 millimeters long in small clusters. Growing 5 to 8 meters tall with a deciduous habit, it has smooth branches without thorns. Its leaves are oblong to lanceolate, 25 to 100 millimeters long with crenate-serrate edges, having an obtuse base and acuminate tip. The fruit is an ovoid-oblong, velvety gray-green structure 25 to 40 millimeters long that splits to reveal a stone when mature.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 9 sympatric species; key features are large acuminate leaves, large pink flowers, and characteristic flattened velvety fruits
Habitat and range
Habitat: Canyons, roadsides, grassland (as waif)
Elevation: < 500 m
California counties: Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Sutter, Nevada, Riverside, Ventura, Alameda, Kern, Contra Costa, Solano, Butte, El Dorado, San Diego, San Francisco, Yolo, Lake, Monterey
Outside California: probably native to western Asia, northern Africa
Bloom period
Prunus dulcis blooms Feb-Mar.
How to tell it apart
vs Quercus: Prunus has simple leaves with fine teeth; oak leaves are lobed or have coarse rounded teeth.; vs Rhamnus: Prunus has fleshy fruits with single hard pits; buckthorn has berry-like fruits with multiple seeds.; vs Malus: Prunus fruits have a single hard pit; apple fruits have a papery core with multiple seeds.; vs Frangula: Prunus has cup-shaped flower base that falls off; alder buckthorn has persistent berry-like fruit base.; vs Pyrus: Prunus produces single-pitted drupes; pear produces pome fruits with papery seed chambers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Prunus dulcis native to California?
No. Prunus dulcis is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Prunus dulcis bloom?
Prunus dulcis blooms Feb-Mar.
Where in California does Prunus dulcis grow?
Prunus dulcis occurs in Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Sutter, Nevada, Riverside, Ventura and other counties, at elevations of < 500 m.
What plant family does Prunus dulcis belong to?
Prunus dulcis is in the Rosaceae family, genus Prunus.
What habitat does Prunus dulcis grow in?
Prunus dulcis grows in Canyons, roadsides, grassland (as waif).
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.