Almond Varieties by Sierra Gold Nurseries

Nonpareil
The premier variety in California. It blooms approximately the 3rd week in February; harvests at the end of August. Kernel is medium-large size with excellent quality and
flavor, and flat which is in high demand by the trade. It has become the basis of the
almond industry. Shell is paper thin, often poorly sealed. Tree is large and harvest easily.

Monterey
Blooms 2 days after Nonpareil; harvests 28 days after Nonpareil, somewhat late. Kernel
is large size and elongated with a high percentage of doubles. Shell is soft and well sealed. besiIt is a heavy and precocious producer. Tree is small to medium size and somewhat sprawling.

Butte
Blooms 5 days after Nonpareil; harvests 2 weeks after Nonpareil. Heavy producer with
the highest yield of all varieties over the years in the regional variety trials. Kernel is medium-small with a semi-hard shell and is well sealed. Tree is vigorous and spreading.

Padre
Blooms 5 days after Nonpareil; harvests 26 days after Nonpareil. A productive variety
and does well on Marianna plum rootstock. It has a medium-small kernel and a hard
shell with a good seal. Tree is medium size and upright. A good producer with potential
for high yields.

Fritz
Blooms with Nonpareil or 1 to 2 days after. It is one of the latest harvest varieties; 40
days after Nonpareil, but also among the most productive pollinizers for Nonpareil.
Kernel is medium-small, ovate with a soft shell. Medium size tree is upright and somewhat spreading.

Aldrich
Blooms slightly ahead of Nonpareil; harvests 14 days after Nonpareil, excellent pollinizer
for Nonpareil. Tree is of medium size and vigor. Medium hard shell. Well sealed nuts.

Winters (USPP#13286)
A recent U.C. release (formerly UC-13-1). Blooms with Nonpareil and harvests two weeks after Nonpareil. Winters has shown high yields in regional variety trials with high quality kernels. Disease susceptibility is of concern.

Carmel
Blooms with Nonpareil; harvests about 2 weeks after Nonpareil. It is a good pollinizer for Nonpareil, with heavy, early production, but its susceptibility to bud failure is a serious concern. Kernel is medium size and elongated; well-sealed, soft shell. Tree is medium
size but more upright than Nonpareil.

Price
Blooms with Nonpareil; harvests 4 to 7 days after Nonpareil. The bloom overlaps the Nonpareil bloom almost perfectly. Like Sonora, it tends to alternate bloom. Kernel is medium-small, plump and has a paper-thin shell. It has a high number of double kernels. Tree is medium size, vigorous, upright and spreading.

Sweetheart (USPPAF)
New release from the University of California. Blooms 1-3 days before Nonpareil; harvests two weeks after Nonpareil. It has a unique medium-sized heart-shaped kernel with very high oil quality. Cross-compatible with all California varieties. The tree is upright, spreading and vigorous.

Kochi (USPP#15049)
This new variety is being tested as an interesting pollinizer variety for Nonpareil. It blooms and harvests with Nonpareil and is a well-sealed soft-shell variety that is large, light in color, and possibly blendable with Nonpareil as a premium variety. The majority of kernels are long, flat, and elongated.

Neplus
Blooms 5 days before Nonpareil; harvests 14 days after Nonpareil. Early bloom is susceptible to frost. The kernel is large. Shell is soft and well sealed. Tree has a spreading, slightly willow-like growth habit. It is used primarily for pollination.

Peerless
Blooms 5 days before Nonpareil; harvests 17 days after Nonpareil. Early bloom is susceptible to frost. It has a medium size kernel. Considered the best for in-shell markets due to attractive, light colored, hard shell. Tree is medium size with moderate, upright growth.

Sonora
Blooms 3 to 5 days before Nonpareil; harvests 7 days after Nonpareil. It has good frost resistance. Kernel is medium-large, elongated, light colored in a paper thin shell. It is often poorly sealed. Tree is medium size with a slight spreading growth habit. It tends to alternate bloom.

Texas Mission
Blooms 6 days after Nonpareil; harvests 28 days after Nonpareil. The kernel is medium-small and plump. It is very well sealed, has a hard shell and low worm damage. Tree is large, upright and easy to train.

Wood Colony
Prolonged bloom coincides with Carmel and harvests approximately 10 days after Nonpareil. A consistent heavy producer. The Wood Colony tree is smaller than the Carmel, but has similar scaffold structure. Due to its compact size the tree is suitable
for close planting.