Almond Tree (Amygdalus communis) / Amendoeira (Amygdalus communis)

A tree native to Mesopotamia, cultivated in Madeira and Porto Santo. The sweet almonds are edible and used to prepare oil with various applications. Similar oil is obtained from bitter almonds by cold pressing, but if this oil is obtained by distillation with water, it becomes extremely poisonous. The distilled water from bitter almonds is also poisonous due to the presence of hydrocyanic acid.