Can you tell the difference between sweet almonds and bitter almonds? - Ask Extension
Hello - I have a mature almond tree on my Jackson County property and it's dropping nuts like crazy! Google tells me that only sweet almonds are edib...
Knowledgebase
Can you tell the difference between sweet almonds and bitter almonds? #918051
Asked September 19, 2025, 9:49 PM EDT
Hello - I have a mature almond tree on my Jackson County property and it's dropping nuts like crazy! Google tells me that only sweet almonds are edible, compared with bitter almonds which are high in cyanide, but I don't know how to tell the difference. I did break one open and tried it - it tasted very strong, like almond extract. If I brought some to my local ag station in Jacksonville, could they tell the difference? Thanks!
Jackson County Oregon
Expert Response
The main difference is that sweet almonds are safe to eat and are the familiar edible nuts, while bitter almonds are highly toxic due to high levels of hydrogen cyanide and should never be consumed raw. Sweet almonds come from the Prunus dulcis, var. Amygdalus tree, whereas bitter almonds come from the Prunus dulcis, var. Amara tree and contain a compound called amygdalin, which breaks down into cyanide. While both appear similar, bitter almonds are generally smaller and pointier.
Yes. The Jackson County Plant Clinic will be happy to help you further. Contact or visit them at:
https://jacksoncountymga.org/plant-clinic/
