Macadamia are a group of species of trees in the Proteaceae family, primarily grown for their nutritious nuts. Macadamia nuts are popular as a snack for their delicious and buttery flavour and are also used in cooking.
Europeans were using Macadamia nuts from the 18th century. Though nowadays macadamia nuts are considered a luxury food item and cultivated in many countries, it was not widely cultivated until the last century.
Additionally, Macadamia trees are attractive, evergreen trees with a distinct looking foliage. They can enhance the aesthetics of your garden or landscape while providing their super tasty nuts.
- Common names: Macadamia nut, Bush nut, Maroochi nut, Bauple nut, Queen of nuts
Origin: Eastern Australia
- Scientific name: Macadamia integrifolia, Macadamia tetraphylla are the commonly cultivated species
- Botanical family: Proteaceae
- Common names: Macadamia nut, Bush nut, Maroochi nut, Bauple nut, Queen of nuts
- Edible quality rating (nut): 8/10
- Health benefits: 8/10
Macadamia Varieties
As mentioned earlier there are different species of Macadamia plant. The commonly cultivated varieties among them are Macadamia integrifolia and Macadamia tetraphylla with the former being the most common.
Growing Macadamia
Macadamia is a slow-growing evergreen tree that sometimes can grow up to 20 metres high, though usually it is about 10 metres. Macadamia plants prefers a subtropical climate with warm, humid summers and mild winters. It can be planted with a distance of 8 metres between trees.
Macadamia trees from seedlings mature in 7–10 years. However, trees from grafted plants mature early. They are slow-growing trees and need plenty of sunlight. Macadamia trees can be pruned to keep them small.
Macadamia is pruned to control the size and shape of the tree and to promote healthy growth. They can be planted in containers but needs regular pruning and supplementation.
Macadamia Nuts
The fruit of Macadamia integrifolia is a round or oval nut enclosed in a hard shell. In fact, they have one of the hardest shells among all nut varieties.
The nut has a diameter of about 2-3 cm with a light brown shell. The edible part of the nut is white and has a rich, creamy flavour. These nuts are a bit hard to crack. Commercial growers often use nut crackers specially designed for macadamia nuts.
Macadamia nuts are highly valued for their nutritional and culinary uses.
Health benefits of Macadamia nuts
The creamy texture of the macadamia nuts are because of its high oil content. These nuts are high in healthy monounsaturated fats that helps to avoid heart diseases and also prevent diabetes. They're also a good source of fibre.
Other uses
They have nice thick crown like foliage and are suitable as ornamental plants.
