Sweet almond oil is obtained by first cold pressing the fruit of Prunus amygdalus var. Dulcis. belonging to the Rosaceae family.
The almond tree is a deciduous tree that can reach 10 m in height. With a smooth, green and brown stem when young, it becomes cracked, scaly and greyish when adult. Simple, lanceolate, long, narrow and pointed leaves, 7.5-12.5 cm long and an intense green color, with serrated or scalloped edges. The solitary flower or in groups of 2-4, is pentameric with five sepals, five petals with variable colors between white and pink depending on the species of about 3-5 cm in diameter. The fruits are about 3-6 cm long in drupe with leathery exocarp and mesocarp and hard endocarp, oblong, ellipsoidal, with dry flesh, tomentose, green, dehiscent. It takes 9 months to mature.
Fruity from warm areas, tolerates little cold. Most almond trees are grown in dry land, on loose and sandy soils. The seed has two enveloping integuments, the testa and the tegmen.
It is normally multiplied by grafting on a bitter almond tree, as it is more resistant to drought and limestone soils.