Flowering almond

Flowering almond: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Small, densely branched shrub or standard about 2 m tall and wide.

Foliage

Oval, toothed, often three-lobed at the tip; fresh green.

Flowers

Double pink flowers about 2–3 cm across, crowded along the bare branches in April.

Branches

Slender, upright to slightly arching, covered in flower buds.

Roots

Usually grafted on a rootstock, which keeps the plant strong and compact.

Flowering: April · Plants: March–April and October–November · Pruning: April–May

Why grow it?

• A cloud of double pink flowers in April, before the leaves appear.
• Bees find nectar and pollen on the flowers in April.
• A compact shrub or standard for small gardens, pots and front gardens.
• Hardy to about −25 °C and easy to grow.
• A prune after flowering keeps it full of flowering shoots for next year.
• Goes well with spring bulbs planted underneath.

Flowering almond: where does it grow best?

• Sun or part shade; it flowers best in the sun.
• Well-drained, fertile soil: sand, loam or clay, acid to chalky.
• Normally moist; it tolerates wet feet badly.
• Sheltered from late night frosts and cold wind, which can damage the blossom.
• Allow 1.5–2 m per shrub; a standard suits a larger bed or a large pot.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal

Size

2 m tall, 2 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -25 °C)

Goes well with

• Forget-me-not: Blue flowers beneath the pink blossom, at the same time.
• Daffodils: Yellow flowers that go well with the pink.
• Grape hyacinth: Blue spring flowers at the foot.
• Tulips: Spring bulbs in contrasting colours in the same border.

Flowering almond: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and October–November.

1. Plant in March–April or in October–November, when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and mix in a few spadefuls of compost.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as in its pot. With a grafted plant or standard, the graft union stays above the soil.
4. Leave 1.5–2 m between shrubs and give a standard a stake straight away.
5. Water thoroughly straight away, even if it is raining.
6. Spread a layer of compost or bark around the base, without covering the stem.

Care

Water

In the first year, weekly in dry weather. After that, give a good soaking now and then in long dry spells.

Feeding

Compost or organic fertiliser for shrubs in March. Do not feed after July.

Mulching

A layer of compost or bark in spring keeps the soil cool and moist.

Support

A standard needs a sturdy stake for the first years.

Suckers

Remove suckers from the rootstock right at the base.

Tip: Cut the flowered shoots back hard to 2–3 buds straight after flowering: you get plenty of new flowering shoots for next year. Cover the blossom in late night frosts.

Flowering almond: when to prune it?

Pruning months: April–May.

When: Straight after flowering, late April–May. That gives it time to make new flowering shoots.

How:

• Cut the flowered shoots back hard, to about 2–3 buds above the old branch.
• Remove dead, diseased and crossing branches completely.
• Keep the shape compact; on a standard, keep the head round and even.

Caution: Do not prune in winter or before flowering: you would cut off the flower buds.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Budding

Nurseries propagate it in August by budding onto a plum rootstock. This is tricky for the home gardener; it is better to buy a grafted plant.

Softwood cuttings

In June–July: 10 cm cuttings of young shoots in moist cutting compost under plastic. They do not always root.

Flowering almond: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −25 °C.

• Hardy to about −25 °C: no protection is needed in Flanders.
• The April blossom can be damaged by late night frosts; cover the shrub with horticultural fleece on cold nights.
• In a pot, stand it against a wall and wrap the pot in hessian so the roots do not freeze.

Diseases and pests

• Brown rot (Monilia): Blossom and young twigs wilt and turn brown in a damp spring. Cut affected branches back well into healthy wood and clear away the waste.
• Aphids: Small aphids on young shoots and leaves. A jet of water is usually enough; ladybirds help too.
• Suckers: Shoots with different leaves below the graft union or from the ground. Remove them at the base.
• Poor flowering: Usually because it is pruned too late or not at all, or because it stands in too much shade. Prune straight after flowering and give it more light.

Through the year

• March: Plant. Apply compost. Check the stake.
• April: Flowering: double pink flowers with bees. Protect blossom on cold nights.
• May: Prune hard straight after flowering.
• June: Watch for aphids. Water in dry weather.
• July: Water in dry weather, especially young shrubs.
• October: Plant. Mulch.
• November: Plant. Mulch against frost.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The species name triloba means ‘three-lobed’ and refers to the leaves, which often have three lobes at the tip.
• The double form ‘Multiplex’ is far better known than the wild species, which has single flowers.
• The flowers appear before the leaves, so in April the bare branches are completely pink.