Almendro (Tropical Almond) Shade Trees, Delivered and Planted
Almendro, also called tropical almond, shades big coastal yards and shrugs off salt, wind and sandy soil, but it is on the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council invasive list and dislikes cold, so site matters. It reaches 30 to 50 ft with tiered branches and large leaves. It comes in a 25 gallon size, delivered and planted by our crew.
- Light:
- Full sun
- Water:
- Low once established; drought tolerant
- Salt:
- High; handles salt spray, wind and sandy coastal soil
Almendro (Tropical Almond) sizes we deliver and plant
Every size below is planted by our crew, set at the right depth and watered in. Send the size and how many, and we text back a planted price, usually within the hour during the day.
| Plant | Sizes |
|---|---|
| Almendro (Tropical Almond) | 25 Gallon |
Almendro (Tropical Almond) in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 30 to 50 ft tall and 35 to 50 ft wide
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- Low once established; drought tolerant
- Salt tolerance
- High; handles salt spray, wind and sandy coastal soil
- Cold tolerance
- Tender: dislikes temperatures below the mid 50s, drops leaves in cool snaps, and frost damages young trees
- Growth rate
- Moderate to fast
- Florida native
- No
- Botanical name
- Terminalia catappa
Where Almendro (Tropical Almond) works in a SW Florida yard
Tropical almond is a tree for wide-open space. The horizontal, tiered branches make a broad umbrella, and the big leaves turn red and orange before they drop in winter. Plant it at least 30 ft from the house, pool and sidewalks, and keep it off natural shorelines and preserve edges.
Sea grape and green buttonwood make good salt-tolerant partners for the lower layer.
- Large coastal shade trees
- Sandy, windy lots
- Wide-open lawns
- Large tropical-style yards
How our crew plants it
Dig a wide, shallow hole, two to three times the root ball's width, set the ball level with the soil, and leave 30 ft of clear space. Backfill with native soil, mulch clear of the trunk, and water in well.
Soak weekly or more for the first couple of months; Lee and Collier allow new plantings extra water beyond your assigned days.
Care after planting
- Soak new trees weekly during their first winter and spring; established trees are drought tolerant and live on rain.
- Gather fallen fruit before it washes toward canals or natural areas.
- Prune to a strong central leader while the tree is young so the wide limbs attach well.
- A frost cloth over a young tree on a freeze night helps inland; on the coast it is seldom needed.
What to watch for
- FLEPPC lists tropical almond as a Category II invasive and UF/IFAS flags it with a caution for South Florida, so we suggest planting it well away from preserves, mangroves, open shorelines and canals, and choosing a native such as pigeon plum or gumbo limbo for waterfront lots.
- The big fruit and leaves create heavy litter, and the fruit can stain cars and pavement.
- It dislikes cold, so expect leaf drop and some limb dieback after a hard freeze.
Almendro (Tropical Almond) questions we hear
Is tropical almond invasive in Florida?+
It is on the FLEPPC invasive list as Category II, and UF/IFAS rates it caution for South Florida, because the floating fruit can start new trees along shorelines and disturbed sites. Keep it away from preserves, mangroves and open water, and choose pigeon plum, gumbo limbo or sea grape on the waterfront.
Is tropical almond salt tolerant?+
Very. It is a classic beach tree that tolerates salt spray, strong wind, sandy soil and moderately salty ground. What it does not tolerate well is cold, so protect young trees on frost nights, and give it plenty of room, since it spreads 35 to 50 ft wide.
Can you eat tropical almonds?+
Yes. The kernel inside the hard seed is edible and tastes like almond, but cracking the shell is slow work and the outer fruit is thin and fibrous. Wildlife also eats the fruit, so expect some mess and some birds or rodents under the tree.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Almendro (Tropical Almond)
Tell us what and how many. Quinten prices it from the nursery's live list and texts you back, usually within the hour during the day.
Only need the plant delivered, no planting? It is on our nursery's list at Palm & Plant Co.
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We deliver and plant across Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, Estero, Bonita Springs and about an hour around.