Prunus carduchorum facts for kids

Prunus carduchorum (also called چغالک in Persian) is a very rare type of wild almond plant. It grows naturally in parts of Turkey, Iraq, and Iran, especially where these three countries meet.

This plant is a small, bushy shrub that usually grows between 0.5 and 1.2 meters (about 1.5 to 4 feet) tall. It likes to live in the Eastern Anatolian montane steppe which is a special natural area. You can find it high up in the mountains, usually from 1,500 to 3,000 meters (about 4,900 to 9,800 feet) above sea level. It prefers to grow on slopes made of a type of soil called marl and in oak forests that might have been partly cleared. Scientists have found that Prunus carduchorum is related to other small, bushy almond plants from that region. They also thought it might create a new plant called Prunus × pabotii if it crossed with Prunus haussknechtii.

About the Name Prunus carduchorum

The second part of the plant's scientific name, carduchorum, has an interesting history. It means "of the Carduchi." The Carduchi were ancient, wild tribesmen who lived in the area we now call Kurdistan. They caused a lot of trouble for a Greek army led by Xenophon and his "Ten Thousand" soldiers a very long time ago. So, the plant's name connects it to this historical group and the rugged region where it grows.