• Photo of Macadamia integrifolia (Macadamia integrifolias)

Plant Profile: Macadamia integrifolia

Taxonomy: Macadamia integrifolia

Names

Australian Nut, Macadamia, Macadamia Nut, Queensland Nut

  • Photo of Macadamia integrifolia (Macadamia integrifolias)

Phonetic Spelling:mak-uh-DAY-mee-a in-teg-ree-FOH-lee-uh

Genus:Macadamia

Species:integrifolia

Family:Proteaceae

The Macadamia Nut tree, a large evergreen species indigenous to Australia’s rainforests, was later introduced to Hawaii, which is now the primary source of commercially produced nuts. This tree is not only visually appealing but also serves as an excellent shade provider and flowering specimen. Its broad leaves grow in whorls, and the tree produces fragrant flowers that hang in clusters.

This species thrives in well-drained, humus-rich soils under full sunlight and is sensitive to frost. While young trees require ample water, they develop drought resistance as they mature. Typically, the tree begins to bear fruit around the age of 6 to 7 years. In regions with colder climates, it can be cultivated in pots and moved indoors to a greenhouse during winter months.

Regarding potential issues, dogs that consume parts of this tree may experience symptoms such as depression, hyperthermia, weakness, muscle stiffness, vomiting, tremors, and an increased heart rate.

Macadamia integrifolia Feature Summary

Macadamia integrifolia Image Gallery

Tags

#evergreen
#shade tree
#full sun tolerant
#fragrant flowers
#frost tender
#flowering tree
#edible fruits
#evergreen tree
#problem for dogs

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Macadamia integrifolia Feature Summary

Attributes
Eastern Australia, Wales
Nuts are edible raw or cooked.
Fruit
Green husks surround the hard smooth shells that enclose creamy-white nuts.
Flowers
Drooping racemes of fragrant pinkish-white flowers in winter and spring.
Pink
White
Spring
Winter
< 1 inch
Leaves
8-10 inch long evergreen leaves are oblong-lanceolate to oblong-ovate in whorls of three. Margins slightly wavy.
Ovate
Oblong
Lanceolate
Undulate
> 6 inches
Whole Plant Traits
Edible
Tree
Multi-trunked
Erect
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
High Organic Matter
Landscape
Edible Garden
Shade Tree
Flowering Tree
Container
Lawn
Problem for Dogs

Macadamia integrifolia Attributes

Macadamia integrifolia: Country Or Region Of Origin

Eastern Australia, Wales

Macadamia integrifolia: Edibility

Nuts are edible raw or cooked.

Macadamia integrifolia: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Macadamia integrifolia: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Macadamia integrifolia Fruit

Macadamia integrifolia: Fruit Description

Green husks surround the hard smooth shells that enclose creamy-white nuts.

Macadamia integrifolia: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Macadamia integrifolia: Fruit Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Macadamia integrifolia: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Macadamia integrifolia Flowers

Macadamia integrifolia: Flower Description

Drooping racemes of fragrant pinkish-white flowers in winter and spring.

Macadamia integrifolia: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Pink
filter_vintage
White

Macadamia integrifolia: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Macadamia integrifolia: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Macadamia integrifolia: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Macadamia integrifolia: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Macadamia integrifolia Leaves

Macadamia integrifolia: Leaf Description

8-10 inch long evergreen leaves are oblong-lanceolate to oblong-ovate in whorls of three. Margins slightly wavy.

Macadamia integrifolia: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Macadamia integrifolia: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Macadamia integrifolia: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Macadamia integrifolia: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Macadamia integrifolia: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Macadamia integrifolia: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Macadamia integrifolia: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Macadamia integrifolia: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Macadamia integrifolia: Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Macadamia integrifolia Whole Plant Traits

Macadamia integrifolia: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Macadamia integrifolia: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Macadamia integrifolia: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Macadamia integrifolia Cultural Conditions

Macadamia integrifolia: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Macadamia integrifolia: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Macadamia integrifolia: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
10a
thermostat
10b
thermostat
11a
thermostat
11b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Macadamia integrifolia: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Macadamia integrifolia Stem

Macadamia integrifolia: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Macadamia integrifolia Landscape

Macadamia integrifolia: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Macadamia integrifolia: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Macadamia integrifolia: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Macadamia integrifolia: Problems

Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy