Question: What are your recommendations for an almond tree that produces nuts in the Knoxville, TN area? The UT Extension does not recommend. I heard the tree would grow but not produce nuts in my area.

Answer: Your University of Tennessee Extension is basically correct.  Almonds bloom early in the spring - so early that the typical Tennessee late frosts wipe out most of the blooms or juvenile fruits.  Tennessee seems to get some nice 70 degree spring weather each year early in the spring only to be followed by a cold snap from the north.  It is that warm cycle that will force the Almonds to bloom and the following cold that does the damage.  The tree will survive but all too often disappoint you for producing a harvest.

If you still want to try, the hardiest almond that we grow is Halls Hardy Almond .  It requires 800 hours of chilling below 45º F to set fruit compared to 200-400 hours for most of the others.  It blooms a little later.  It also happens to have a very ornamental bloom - doubling as a flowering tree.  It is semi-self fertile but sets fruit better if cross pollinized by another variety.  The next best cold hardy variety is the Texas (also called Mission) Almond .  It requires 500 hours chilling.   Those two are the only two varieties I would even consider.  Good luck.