Macadamia Macadamia integrifolia
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- mak-uh-DAY-mee-a in-teg-ree-FOH-lee-uh
- Description
-
Macadamia Nut is a large, broad leaf evergreen tree in the wintergreen family and native to the rain forests of New South Wales in the south eastern corner of Australia. It was introduced to Hawaii from which most of the commercial nuts come from today. The tree is an attractive evergreen and can make a good shade and flowering tree. At maturity, it will reach a height of 50 feet and a spread of 40 fee. The large leaves occur in whorls and the pink fragrant flowers are in drooping clusters. The genus name honors John Macadam (1827-1865), a chemist and lecturer in Melborne, Australia. The species name means with entire or uncut leaves.
There are two species of macadamia nuts grown today: M. integrifolia is the most common and has a smooth shell while M. teteraphylla has a rough shell.
Macadamia Nut trees prefer humus-rich, moist, well drained soils in full sun and are intolerant of frost. They need lots of water when young, but become drought tolerant with age. In its natural habitat, young trees benefit from a consistent rainfall of 50 inches per year. The tree will start producing fruit at 6 to 7 years of age.
In colder climates, it can be grown in a pot and brought into a greenhouse in the winter. The tree should also be planted in a site that protects it from strong winds. Ingesting parts of this tree can cause depression, hyperthermia, weakness, muscular stiffness, vomiting, tremors, and increased heart rate in dogs.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:
The trees in Australia have been affected by fungal pathogens that cause flower blight.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Macadamia
- Species:
- integrifolia
- Family:
- Proteaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Macadamia nuts are a valuable food crop.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern Australia, New South Wales
- Distribution:
- Hawaii, California, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Mozambique, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, and Peru.
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Edible fruit
- Shade
- Edibility:
- Nuts are edible raw or cooked and ground into flour.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 30 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 20 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in.
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Multi-trunked
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- White
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Nut
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Green husks surround the hard, smooth shells that enclose creamy-white nuts.
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Winter
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Drooping 8 inch racemes of 1/2 inch long, fragrant pinkish-white flowers appear in winter and spring.
-
-
Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Whorled
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Oblong
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Undulate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Eight to ten inch long evergreen leaves are oblong-lanceolate to oblong-ovate in whorls of three. Margins slightly wavy.
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Lawn
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Design Feature:
- Flowering Tree
- Shade Tree
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Pollinators
- Problems:
- Problem for Dogs