Type
dark-skinned, needs pollinizer
Almond variety
Mission Almond
A California cultivar with a harder shell and darker kernel skin than Nonpareil. Its rich flavor is especially appreciated for roasting and baking.
Season
late season
Best for
roasting and baking
About Mission
Mission is a hard-shell California almond with a dark, wrinkled kernel and strong traditional almond flavor. It is a pollinizer type that blooms later than Nonpareil and requires cross-pollination.
Growing Mission Almond
Plant it with compatible almonds that bloom at the same time, and rely on bees for pollen transfer. The hard shell offers some protection, but hull split and drying still signal harvest timing.
Full growing guide
For planting, care, pollination, and harvest that apply to all almond, see the complete guide.
How to grow AlmondOther almond varieties
Variety characteristics are general guidance for US home gardens; chill hours, hardiness, and pollination vary, so confirm suitability for your zone. Availability differs by supplier. Page updated Aug 4, 2026.