Fruit trees, including almond, are complex individuals made up by the symbiotic scion/rootstock association. These two components interact mutually depending on their genotype and the environmental influence. Rootstock characteristics, however, have been less studied than those of the scion: consequently, rootstock selection has been somehow neglected and, traditionally, almond seed lings from unknown origin have been used. During the last fifty years, many studies and trials have been conducted on different types of rootstocks for almond. Their results have allowed to detect several problems that arise when traditional rootstocks are used, but also to study the possibilities to select new clones to eliminate, or reduce, the defaults of the currently used rootstocks. Thus the main desirable characteristics of an ideal almond rootstock have been reviewed, stressing the points related to nursery management (propagation and on line behaviour) graft compatibility, orchard management (tree growth and size, agronomic behaviour in irrigated and non-irrigated conditions, plant anchorage, sucker emission), resistance to physical conditions and biotic agents, and sanitary status of the mother plants for propagation.