| Description |
Macadamia is a genus of 4 species of large, spreading evergreen trees native to Australia. The trees produce round edible nuts, also called Macadamia, with hard shells and sweet, soft, cream-colored meat. Leaves are reddish-brown when young and mature to a deep, glossy green. Trees have attractive, long, dangling racemes covered in 1/2" white, pink, or red flowers. Some varieties are self-pollinating, while others require cross-pollination. Macadamias need a mild, frost-free climate with high humidity and rainfall. They have shallow roots and can be blown over in storms. Their ideal temperature is 25° C, but mature trees can tolerate temperatures as low as -4.4° C (temperatures of -2.2° C will kill flowers). Macadamias can be grown in containers and brought inside in the winter in cooler regions. Trees take 7-10 years to produce significant quantities of seeds, but can bear fruit for 100 years.
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