Almonds

Almonds are edible seeds that grow from the fruit of the almond tree, Prunus dulcis, which is part of the Rosaceae family. The fruit is a drupe, which is a type of fruit that contains a single seed and has a hard shell. The almond fruit is 3.5–6 cm (1+3⁄8–2+3⁄8 in) long and has a thick, leathery, gray-green outer covering called the hull. When the fruit ripens, the hull splits open and releases the hard brown shell that protects the seed. Almonds are often sold shelled or unshelled