Almond is a species of tree native to Iran and surrounding countries as well as Central Asia, but widely cultivated elsewhere. The almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree.
The fruit of the almond is a drupe, consisting of an outer hull and a hard shell with the seed, which is not a true nut, inside. Shelling almonds refers to removing the shell to reveal the seed. Almonds are sold shelled or unshelled. Blanched almonds are shelled almonds that have been treated with hot water to soften the seedcoat, which is then removed to reveal the white embryo.