Birds drinking nectar from almond Prunus dulcis blossoms

Abstract

Almond trees bear flowers of two kinds: male flowers and hermaphrodite flowers. Male flowers lack gynaecium (female part of the flower) and contain more nectar. Both types of flowers are perigynous; the receptacle forms a cup around the gynaeciurn. The nectar is contained within the cup (calyx) but the quantity present is very variable. In most years, examination of the inner surface of the calyx reveals only a few droplets of nectar on the nectaries. In early Feb 1992, many Almond trees bore flowers in which the calyx was almost full of nectar.