Macadamia is a genus of nine species of flowering plants in the family Proteaceae, the genus is named after John Macadam. For thousands of years before European settlement, the aborigines ate the native nut that grew in rainforests of eastern Australia
The macadamia tree is usually propagated by grafting, and does not begin to produce commercial quantities of nuts until it is 7-10 years old, but once established, may continue bearing for over 100 years.
Macadamia nuts are extremely nutritious, with a high amount of beneficial fatty acids as well as calcium, iron and B vitamins.
Fully formed fruit before ripening and falling to the ground
The mature fruit measures roughly 25mm in diameter. The outer bright green pericarp is about 3mm thick and conceals a brown seed or nut that consists of an outer, hard shell 2 to 5mm thick, and an inner cream-coloured kernel.