Almond blossom in Mallorca

Mallorca's almond blossom and the beautiful rush

If you are on holiday in Mallorca during the almond blossom season, be prepared for a little rush. The sight of the white and pink flowers and, above all, their lovely scent have a euphoric effect. Fortunately for Mallorca. Because the almond blossom, and with it the low season, is increasingly becoming a time for travelling. Those who feel connected to nature don't want to miss this event and book a holiday to Mallorca in winter - right at the time of the almond blossom.

The island is in a different mood at this time of year, quieter, calmer and greener. It is mild and there is often enough sunshine for hiking, cycling and other activities. The almond blossom on Mallorca generally lasts from the end of January to the beginning/middle of March. However, when the natural spectacle actually begins and how long it lasts depends on the weather and temperatures of the respective winter. Depending on the region of Mallorca, the almond trees also bloom at different times. And beware: there have also been years when the almond blossom was premature at the beginning/middle of January and everything was over by February.

We hope that this won't be the case for the almond blossom in Mallorca in 2020, but the first signs indicate that it could happen quickly this time too. With daytime temperatures of up to 20 degrees, December 2019 was warmer than it had been for a long time. This also brought the almond blossom out of hiding early. The first trees with delicate blossom were spotted in the centre of the island around Porreres as early as the Christmas holidays and increased at the turn of the year. This means that the almond blossom on Mallorca 2020 should take over the landscape quite early.

Where is the almond blossom on Mallorca at its most beautiful?

The almond blossom in Mallorca is a feast for the senses.

When is the best time to visit the almond blossom in Mallorca: you need to be a little flexible and well informed before departure. The almond blossom can start as early as January, but depending on the weather, it can also last until February. The delicate almond blossoms only open when the temperature remains in the double digits. The blossoms in the somewhat milder east and in the centre of the island are traditionally somewhat quicker than those in the western mountain regions, where it is usually cooler. For orientation: the almond blossom period in Mallorca is from the middle/end of January to the beginning of March. You are relatively certain to see almond trees in bloom if you visit Mallorca in early February.

4th almond blossom hikes in Mallorca:

• 1st Lluc Monastery - The hike around the Lluc Monastery becomes a special event during the almond blossom. Depending on your fitness level and hiking mood, you can take a short or long walk around the spiritual centre of the island. As Lluc is already 525 metres above sea level, the view of the almond trees is a little intoxicating.
• 2. Galilea - The tranquil mountain village of Galilea may not have the most almond trees, but they do grow on slopes and terraces and are truly beautiful to look at. You can also enjoy a picnic among the almond trees on a hike. The route from Galilea leads along a cart track to Es Capdella and takes around 3.5 hours.
• 3. Randa - Hike up the Randa monastery mountain - from the top you can probably best understand the extent of the almond euphoria. At an altitude of around 550 metres, the sea of colours of the almond blossom in the valley unfolds its special effect and any exertion on this hike is forgotten. It takes around 3 hours to walk from Llucmajor to the Three Monasteries Mountain - you are welcome to plan a little longer if you can't get enough of the blossoms or find yourself gazing at the landscape from time to time.
• 4th Andratx - If you are travelling in the southwest, make your way from Andratx to Port Andratx and enjoy the countless almond trees and the approaching sea along the 6-kilometre route.

Almond products made in Mallorca:

Turron and almond cake

In addition to the almond blossom, Mallorca benefits above all from the versatile almond fruit, which is usually processed in one of the traditional family businesses. The range of almond products is impressive: almond liqueur, almond perfume, almond oil, almond cheese, almond soap, almond nougat and almond ice cream. Almond delicacies are among the most popular souvenirs from the island. Mallorcans themselves are particularly fond of their almond cake (gató de almendra) and the almond and honey Christmas cake turrón.

Almond blossom - the scent of the island

If you can't get enough of the almond blossom on Mallorca and don't want to miss the scent, take both home with you in a bottle: "Flor d'Ametler" is the magic word and describes the unique almond puree from the island. It has been produced since 1930 and preserves spring in a bottle. More than 70 years ago, Mallorcan Bernardo Vallori came up with the idea of immortalising his beloved scent of almond blossom in a perfume. He remembered how his mother and grandmother used to mix rosemary, lavender, sage and mint into their perfumes and the miraculous effect they had. Vallori refined the method and experimented with the almond blossom until the result truly deserved the name "Flor d'Ametler".

Even today, the perfume is still produced by hand in the family business in Pont d'Inca (Marratxi) according to the secret recipe. When the miracle of the almond blossom repeats itself in January and February, the flower collectors swarm out. Each almond blossom is carefully selected and picked by hand to be immediately placed in a secret essence so as not to lose any of its sweet, fresh fragrance. In addition to the perfume, a five-petalled flower is placed in the bottle as a decoration and greeting. The perfume workshop can also be visited. Contact: 0034 971 601 510 / info@flordametler.com.

Real manual labour - almond harvest

The almonds are harvested in midsummer and early autumn and this is often still done by hand. The nets are then spread out in the plantations and the farmers shake the trees with long poles until the valuable fruit falls to the ground. Nowadays, however, more and more mechanised tree shakers are taking over this hard work. As with the almond blossom, there are guided tours of the plantations especially for people interested in the almond harvest.

Around 1,000 tonnes of almonds were harvested on Mallorca in 2019 - a decrease of almost 20 percent compared to the previous year, which also has consequences for the island's economy. Until a few years ago, Mallorca was considered the most important almond producer in Spain. The island has already lost this position. Due to competition from California and falling world market prices, fewer almonds were produced on the island. However, climate change and pests have also contributed to the general decline in the almond harvest. The so-called fire bacterium has already infested numerous trees on the island and caused them to die of thirst - it prevents the trees from absorbing water.

Experts and almond growers do not want to wait for the almond to disappear from the island. The trees are being monitored, new ones planted and, above all, varieties that develop resistance to the fire bacterium are being promoted.

How Mallorca became the almond island

The Moors ruled Mallorca for 300 years. In addition to some prosperity and many ideas, including for the irrigation system, they also brought the almond tree to Mallorca. That was in the 10th century. However, the almond industry on the island only really blossomed in 1890 during the phylloxera plague. At that time, the pest killed almost all the vines on the island and many winegrowers had no choice but to turn to other crops. The almond was now cultivated on a large scale and Mallorca soon became the largest contiguous almond-growing area.

At the same time, the almond became one of the most important commodities - an export hit - and the island owes this success to the special flavour of the Mallorca almond. With a slightly sweet, aromatic flavour and a higher fat content, the local fruit differs from the competition from California, for example. If you want to be sure that you have bought a Mallorcan almond, look out for the "Almendra Mallorquina" seal of quality when shopping.

Almond blossom events on Mallorca

The Mallorcans love and celebrate their almond tree. The "Firó de la Flor d'Amtler" - the almond blossom festival - is always celebrated on the first Sunday in February in Son Severa (east). If you take a look around the stalls there, you will get an idea of how many products are (or can be) made from the almond itself, the wood of the tree or the blossom - this much can be revealed: it's a lot. A week after Son Severa, the village of Petra also pays homage to the almond blossom on Mallorca with a spring festival.