Cultivar; El Fahem -EF 835

Clone Number;EF 835

Origin; Originally grown in Syria, it was brought to Israel by a man named Hassan al-Assad, it produces well under dry, arid conditions and rocky terrains.

Royalties/ Levies; R6.30

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Yield; low, but produces high quality nuts

Fruit use; These large, sweet-tasting almonds are considered one of the finest varieties of almonds in the world. Can be roasted, raw, or processed. 

Type; Regular shell variety

Shelf-life; Approximately two years, depending on the type of processing used.

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Water requirements; 8.5 to 12 Mega-litres per hectare per year

Soil type; can be grown in almost any soil type, but a well-draining soil with a pH of around 6.5 is best.

Sun requirements; at least 6 hours of full sun daily

Chill hours; 100 hours at below 7 °C

Pruning; Can be done to reduce pathogens, keep the orchard tidy and create pathways for workers and farm machinery. In the developmental years, pruning helps prevent the trees branches from breaking under heavy yields, but after the first two or three years it is best to keep it to a minimum.

Soil depth; All nut trees have long tap roots and thus require deep soil to thrive.

Care; Prefers long, hot summers in a climate with a low humidity.

Fertiliser requirements; Need lots of nitrogen and phosphorous for good growth

Pollination requirements; Like most almond varieties, El Fahem does not self-pollinate and requires another compatible variety of almonds to be pollinated.

Successful test-crosses; not enough data

Bloom time; not enough data

Harvest time; not enough data

Vigor; medium to strong

Size; medium to large

Tree age; takes 3 to 4 years before fruiting

Average life span; 20 to 25 years depending on the rootstock used.

Susceptibility to pests and disease; not enough data

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General notes; Most highly cultivated almond in Israel, this cutivar requires fewer chill hours than most, produces high-quality fruits and has a very soft skin .