TAIF: Taif is best known throughout the world as the “City of Roses” and is also famous for its grapes, pomegranates, figs, and honey.
But its widely cultivated almond trees, with their white flowers which add to the natural beauty of the area, are less well-known.
Visitors arriving at the Makkah Province hill station, set 1,879 meters up on the slopes of Saudi Arabia’s Sarawat Mountains, are often taken aback by the blanket of white almond orchards that greet them.
The trees, with their popular edible seeds, reached countries along the Mediterranean from Greece. And during winter the almond orchards in southern parts of Taif become covered in white flowers. From afar, it can seem as though the ground is covered by clouds.
In spring, the flowers are picked before the almond seeds develop a hard skin. This type of almond is considered the best and most expensive.
Halal Al-Thaqafi, a farmer, said almond trees were brought to the city in ancient times through trade caravans and the Taif almond was today internationally renowned for its unique, delicious taste.
Almond trees are grown in cold weather and can be affected by humidity and temperature, Al-Thaqafi added. The almonds themselves are either sweet or bitter, the former having a hard skin and the latter used for medical purposes.
Once harvested, almonds can be stored for up to three years in the right conditions and some Taif farmers make their entire living out of producing them.
Al-Thaqafi pointed out that Taif used to distribute almonds to pilgrims as they passed through the city, along with its once-famous raisins.
Manal Ibrahim, a dietician, said almonds contained important nutrients and vitamins that could help with weight loss, and she hoped further research would highlight other health benefits.
