Earlybird™
Self-fertile almond variety from Sierra Gold Nurseries. Harvesting a full week before Nonpareil, this vigorous cultivar shakes clean and showcases superior in-shell potential with its paper shell. Notably resilient against NOW due to an excellent, shell seal. It produces kernels 20% larger than Nonpareil and achieves a crackout rate 6% higher.
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. It is a heavy and precocious producer. Tree is small to medium size and somewhat sprawling.
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Independence® Almond (Alm-21 cv.)
Grown by Sierra Gold Nurseries under annual sub-license agreements from Dave Wilson Nursery.
The most popular self-fertile almond variety planted in California. Blooms with Nonpareil, harvest 1-2 days before Nonpareil. Precocious, good producer. Somewhat low-vigor, compact tree best in hybrid rootstocks. Fewer or no bees.
Yorizane (y116-161-99)
A new self-fertile variety released by the United States Department of Agriculture. Top production, excellent quality and no royalty! Similar bloom interval and harvest time as Nonpareil. This new cultivar has yielded well across regions during the first five commercial harvests. Yorizane exhibits few serious kernel defects and has been rated highly in terms of marketing potential and kernel appearance.
Shasta®
Grown by Sierra Gold Nurseries under annual sub-license agreements from Burchell Nursery.
Self-fertile, blooms with or slightly ahead of Nonpareil. One harvest; early, heavy production; high crack out 60-65%, good for both shelled and in-shell use; beautiful, light and smooth kernel, Monterey or Carmel type, size 20/22 to 24/25 almonds/oz.; high ratings from industry buyers.
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Carmel O.S.™
Our selection of Carmel comes from the "Original Source" mother tree of Carmel maintained by Bill Bright of Brights Nursery. By propagating Carmel OS from 2nd generation budwood at the nursery we hope to avoid the expression of bud failure which has been the fatal flaw of standard commercial sources of Carmel. Carmel OS blooms with Nonpareil; harvests about 2 weeks after Nonpareil. It is a good pollinizer for Nonpareil, with heavy, early production. Kernel is medium size and elongated; well-sealed, soft shell. Tree is medium size but more upright than Nonpareil.
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Booth® (USPPAF)
Blooms 0-2 days ahead of Nonpareil; harvests 10-14 days after Nonpareil. Can work well as a pollinizer for Nonpareil because its bloom covers Nonpareil's bloom.
Aldrich
Blooms slightly ahead of Nonpareil; harvests 14 days after Nonpareil, excellent pollinizer or Nonpareil. Tree has an upright and vertical growth habit. Medium hard shell. Well sealed nuts.
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.
Kester (UC Case # 2014-080)
It is a University of California, Davis introduction resulting from a cross between Tardy-Nonpareil (a late-flowering mutation of Nonpareil) and Arbuckle. Blooms approximately 4 days after Nonpareil and is less vulnerable to frost damage. Kester kernels are similar to Nonpareil but with well-sealed, worm-resistant shells. Produces low frequencies of double kernels and twin embryos. Harvest is 4 to 7 days after Nonpareil. Trees are upright to spreading and moderately vigorous, being about 90% of Nonpareil size at maturity.
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.
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.
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 (USPP# 19436)
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.
Ne Plus
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.
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Marcona
Blooms 7 days before Nonpareil; harvests 7 days after Nonpareil. Native to Spain, Marcona almonds are known for being softer and sweeter than the California variety. Hard shell. Kernel is short and round. Good compatibility with Sonora.
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