Macadamia nut, Queensland nut
Macadamia ternifolia

Family: Proteaceae

What it is like

A medium size evergreen tree. It has a bushy habit. It grows 5-10 m tall. The young shoots are pink. Young leaves are long and toothed at the edge. The leaves are 10-18 cm long by 3-5 cm wide. The leaves mostly occur in rings of three. They are stiff, leathery and dark green. Flowers are in stalked clusters 10-20 cm long. They are produced in the axils of leaves and hang downwards. The flowers are 0.8 cm long and pink. The fruit are 1.5-2 cm long and are produced in a hanging cluster. The nuts are smooth, woody, and rounded with a point at the tip.

There are about 14 Macadamia species. They are mainly in Australia. Nuts are about 76% oil.

Where it is found

It is a tropical and subtropical plant. It does well with temperatures about 22-26°C. It suits a light sandy loam with pH 5.5-7.5. In Papua New Guinea it does well at 1000 to 1200 m altitude and will grow up to 1700 m.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia (country/location of origin), Cameroon, Central Africa, China, Colombia, Cuba, East Africa, Eswatini, Hawaii, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Mozambique, Niue, North Africa, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Swaziland, Taiwan, USA, Vanuatu, West Indies

How it is used for food

The nuts are edible. The nuts yield an oil used with salads.

Edible parts

Seeds kernel, nuts

How it is grown

Trees are mostly grown from seed. They can be grown from cuttings. Pruning increases branching. A spacing of 5 to 10 m is suitable.

Trees produce in 7 years from seed and 3-4 years from grafted trees. Nuts on some types are produced seasonally about Dec to April. Nuts are harvested after they fall. The outside husk needs to be rubbed off then the nuts dried in the sun. A kernal weighs about 3 g. A well established tree can produce 80 kg of nuts.

Its other names

Local names

Ao zhou jian guo, Gympie nut, Pohon makadam gimpi, Small-fruited Bush Nut

Synonyms

Macadamia minor F.M. Bailey; Macadamia lowii F.M. Bailey; Helicia ternifolia (F. Muell.)F. Muell.;