Ibiza’s almond trees know exactly when to make their entrance. They don’t bother to put on a show in high season when the island is full of visitors. No, they wait until January and February, when the beaches are empty, the restaurants are quiet, and only the residents remain. Then—just for us—they burst into bloom, draping the hillsides in soft white and pink, as if to say: You stayed, and now you get the good stuff.
At Can Frare, we’re surrounded by these quiet performers—not by accident, but by design. Our ancestors planted them for practicality, not aesthetics. Almond trees are tough. They thrive on almost nothing, enduring Ibiza’s scorching summers on rainfall alone.
Last summer, Ibiza endured nearly seven months with little to no rain. Almond yields were lower, but the trees withstood the drought, their deep roots tapping into hidden moisture. This ability to adapt and endure has made them a perfect fit for Ibiza’s rugged landscape for centuries.
The almond tree is built for survival. It arrived in Ibiza centuries ago, brought from the east by the Arabs, who understood its toughness and how it could thrive in this dry, hot climate. Originating from Central Asia, the almond tree is drought-resistant, needing hardly any water to succeed.
In the peak of summer, it sheds its leaves, conserving energy so completely that it looks lifeless. But this is an illusion—the tree is simply waiting.
Then, in late September, after months of dormancy, the almonds are ready to be harvested. These trees don’t waste energy on showy foliage in the height of the season. They are patient, knowing that their moment comes after the island’s summer crowds have gone. That’s when they release their nutrient-rich harvest—a quiet reward at the end of a long, hot season.
Almonds are also one of the easiest trees to propagate—they can grow from a single seed. But when planted for cultivation, the land around them is stripped bare, ensuring that every drop of water goes to the tree alone. This is why almond fields look so stark, their gnarled trunks rising from open stretches of red Ibizan earth.
Almonds are deeply entrenched in Ibiza’s culinary tradition. They have been used in Ibizan cooking since Arab times, their rich, nutty flavor deepening some of the island’s most beloved dishes.
Salsa de Nadal, a festive Christmas soup, is rich with almonds, honey, cinnamon, and saffron, creating a sweet, spiced broth. Flaó, Ibiza’s iconic cheesecake, is subtly infused with almonds, adding depth to the pastry crust. Ametlles torrades—almonds toasted and sometimes dusted with sea salt or drizzled with honey—are the perfect afternoon snack, best paired with a glass of local herbal liqueur.
The almond tree does not put on its display for visitors. It blooms outside of the tourist season, when the island is quiet, when the only people walking through Santa Agnès are those who live there. And in the height of summer, when Ibiza is at its most vibrant, the almond tree does the opposite. It strips itself bare, retreating into dormancy so completely that a visitor might mistake it for dead. But it is only waiting—storing its energy for the moment when it will bloom again.
A short drive from Can Frare, Santa Agnès is home to the island’s largest almond groves—a breathtaking sight when the trees are in bloom. A walk through Santa Agnès, whether under the midday sun or by moonlight, is one of winter’s quietest luxuries.
At Can Frare, our almond trees stand on the terraces near the house—where we host weddings in summer. By then, the blossoms are long gone, but the trees remain, rooted in the land, part of the finca’s quiet rhythm.
And now, as the season turns, those of us who live here are about to enjoy the show. A sea of white petals, the scent of almond blossom drifting on the breeze—this is a moment only for the ones who stayed.
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