94,129
edits
Changes
no edit summary
|Min ht metric=cm
|Min ht metric=cm
|origin=Australia
|origin=Australia
|features=edible
|lifespan=perennial
|exposure=sun
|water=moist, moderate
|features=evergreen, edible
|Temp Metric=°F
|Temp Metric=°F
|image=Macadamia integrifolia.jpg
|image=Macadamia integrifolia.jpg
|image_width=200
|image_width=200
'''''Macadamia''''' is a [[genus]] of nine [[species]] of [[flowering plant]]s in the family [[Proteaceae]], with a [[disjunct distribution]] native to eastern [[Australia]] (seven species), [[New Caledonia]] (one species ''[http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/31009/all M. neurophylla]'') and [[Sulawesi]] in [[Indonesia]] (one species, ''M. hildebrandii'').
'''''Macadamia''''' is a [[genus]] of nine [[species]] of [[flowering plant]]s in the family [[Proteaceae]], with a [[disjunct distribution]] native to eastern [[Australia]] (seven species), [[New Caledonia]] (one species ''[http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/31009/all M. neurophylla]'') and [[Sulawesi]] in [[Indonesia]] (one species, ''M. hildebrandii'').
They are small to large [[evergreen]] [[tree]]s growing to 2–12 m tall. The [[leaf|leaves]] are arranged in whorls of three to six, lanceolate to obovate or elliptical in [[Leaf shape|shape]], 6–30 cm long and 2–13 cm broad, with an entire or spiny-serrated margin. The [[flower]]s are produced in a long slender simple [[raceme]] 5–30 cm long, the individual flowers 10–15 mm long, white to pink or purple, with four [[tepal]]s. The [[fruit]] is a very hard woody globose [[Follicle (fruit)|follicle]] with a pointed apex, containing one or two [[seed]]s.
They are small to large [[evergreen]] [[tree]]s growing to 2–12 m tall. The [[leaf|leaves]] are arranged in whorls of three to six, lanceolate to obovate or elliptical in [[Leaf shape|shape]], 6–30 cm long and 2–13 cm broad, with an entire or spiny-serrated margin. The [[flower]]s are produced in a long slender simple [[raceme]] 5–30 cm long, the individual flowers 10–15 mm long, white to pink or purple, with four [[tepal]]s. The [[fruit]] is a very hard woody globose [[Follicle (fruit)|follicle]] with a pointed apex, containing one or two [[seed]]s.
The genus is named after [[John Macadam]], a colleague of [[botany|botanist]] [[Ferdinand von Mueller]], who first described the genus.<ref>Mueller, F.J.H. von (1857) Account of some New Australian Plants. Transactions of the Philosophical Institute of Victoria 2: 72
The genus is named after [[John Macadam]], a colleague of [[botany|botanist]] [[Ferdinand von Mueller]], who first described the genus.<ref>Mueller, F.J.H. von (1857) Account of some New Australian Plants. Transactions of the Philosophical Institute of Victoria 2: 72
[[Image:Macadamia integrifolia, buds.jpg|left|thumb|''Macadamia integrifolia'' flowers]]
[[Image:Macadamia integrifolia, buds.jpg|left|thumb|''Macadamia integrifolia'' flowers]]
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. Macadamias prefer fertile, well-drained soils, a rainfall of 1,000–2,000 mm, and temperatures not falling below 10 °C (although once established they can withstand light frosts), with an optimum temperature of 25 °C. The roots are shallow and trees can be blown down in storms; they are also susceptible to ''[[Phytophthora]]'' root disease.
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. Macadamias prefer fertile, well-drained soils, a rainfall of 1,000–2,000 mm, and temperatures not falling below 10 °C (although once established they can withstand light frosts), with an optimum temperature of 25 °C. The roots are shallow and trees can be blown down in storms; they are also susceptible to ''[[Phytophthora]]'' root disease.
The macadamia nut has an extremely hard shell, but can be cracked using a blunt instrument, such as a hammer or rock applied with some force to the nut sitting in a concave surface, or a custom made macadamia nutcracker can be used. Nuts of the "Arkin Papershell" variety crack open more readily.
The macadamia nut has an extremely hard shell, but can be cracked using a blunt instrument, such as a hammer or rock applied with some force to the nut sitting in a concave surface, or a custom made macadamia nutcracker can be used. Nuts of the "Arkin Papershell" variety crack open more readily.
==Cultivars==
==Cultivars==
===Beaumont===
===Beaumont===
A ''M. integrifolia'' / ''M. tetraphylla'' hybrid commercial variety widely planted in Australia & New Zealand. Discovered by Dr. J. H. Beaumont. It has a good taste, high in oil, but not sweet. New leaves reddish, flowers bright pink, borne on long racemes. It is one of the quickest varieties to come into bearing once planted in the garden, usually carrying a useful crop by the fourth year, and improving from then on. It crops prodigously when well pollinated. The impressive grape-like clusters of nuts are sometimes so heavy they break the branchlet they are attached to. In commercial orchards, it has reached 18 kg of nuts per tree by 8 years old! On the downside, the nuts don't drop from the tree when ripe, and the leaves are a bit prickly when you are reaching into the interior of the tree during harvest. Beaumonts' shell is easier than most commercial varieties to open.
A ''M. integrifolia'' / ''M. tetraphylla'' hybrid commercial variety widely planted in Australia & New Zealand. Discovered by Dr. J. H. Beaumont. It has a good taste, high in oil, but not sweet. New leaves reddish, flowers bright pink, borne on long racemes. It is one of the quickest varieties to come into bearing once planted in the garden, usually carrying a useful crop by the fourth year, and improving from then on. It crops prodigously when well pollinated. The impressive grape-like clusters of nuts are sometimes so heavy they break the branchlet they are attached to. In commercial orchards, it has reached 18 kg of nuts per tree by 8 years old! On the downside, the nuts don't drop from the tree when ripe, and the leaves are a bit prickly when you are reaching into the interior of the tree during harvest. Beaumonts' shell is easier than most commercial varieties to open.
[[Image:Macadamia Maroochy.JPG|right|thumb|Macadamia Maroochy new growth]]
[[Image:Macadamia Maroochy.JPG|right|thumb|Macadamia Maroochy new growth]]