The leaves are simple and small. The nuts are enclosed in a fleshy husk which becomes dry, fibrous, and splits open allowing the nut to drop out or be easily separated at maturity. The shell is like thin wood and encloses the oblong, flattened kernel. The nut including the shell is over an inch long and half as wide. Almonds are marketed both in the shell and as shelled kernels.
Almonds grow in California, the Mediterranean, Australia, and South Africa.
The two main types of Almonds are sweet and bitter. Sweet Almonds are are found in markets and used in a variety of of recipes. Bitter Almonds are used to produce flavor extracts, like Liqueurs and Orgeat syrup. Almonds are available whole, sliced, chopped, candied, smoked, in paste form, and in many flavors. Almonds are just one of the many nuts that are produced and sold in many different forms.