The almond is believed to have originally been cultivated in Asia and North Africa, and it was Spanish missionaries who first brought almonds to California. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United States is the largest producer of almonds in the world.

The almond featured significantly in different cultures throughout history. The Romans would shower the bride and groom with almonds as a blessing of fertility. In Egypt, almonds were used in bread that was served exclusively to the Pharaohs. There are also several references to the almond in the Bible.

The almond tree is closely related to the peach, apricot and cherry. There are two types of almonds, sweet and bitter. The sweet almonds are those that are eaten, the bitter almonds are toxic, and are inedible until processed for oil for use in flavorings and liqueurs.