Overview
Sweet almond bush is a fast-growing fragrant shrub with airy branching and long spikes of small white flowers.
Mature Size and Habit
It commonly reaches 6 to 12 feet tall and wide in Central Florida. Growth is upright to vase-shaped, with long flexible branches.
Best Landscape Uses
Use it as a fragrant accent, informal screen, or rear-border shrub near outdoor living areas.
Sunlight
Full sun produces the best flowering and denser growth.
Soil, Drainage, and Irrigation
It tolerates many soil types but needs good drainage. Water regularly for the first one to two years. Established plants become highly drought tolerant.
Best Planting Season for Tampa and Central Florida
Fall through early spring is ideal in Tampa. Warm-season planting works with reliable irrigation.
Pruning and Maintenance
Prune to control height and encourage branching. Flowers form on new growth. Avoid forcing its airy habit into a tight formal hedge.
Wildlife Value
Flowers attract honeybees, native bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
Cold and Heat Sensitivity
Cold weather may damage exposed growth. Prolonged drought reduces flowering even after the shrub is established.
Safety, Roots, and Placement Warnings
Give it enough room so branches do not obstruct walks, windows, or service access. No major thorn or toxicity concern is established.
Invasive Concerns
This South American species is not native to Florida. It is not generally treated as invasive in managed Central Florida landscapes.
Helpful Resources
UF/IFAS Extension sweet almond profile
Local Delivery
Local delivery only in approved South Tampa ZIP codes. $600.00 minimum plant order. $100.00 flat delivery fee. Ecoscape will contact you to schedule delivery.