Do I need two trees to get nuts?

While they are self fertile, planting more than one tree usually improves cross pollination and yields.

How do I know when to harvest?

The nuts are ready when they fall naturally to the ground.

Plant guide

Macadamia nut.

Macadamia integrifolia

Pronounced mak-uh-DAY-mee-uh in-teg-ri-FOH-lee-uh

Also known as Bauplenut, Bush Nut, Macadamia, Macadamia Tree, Macadamia nut, Bauple nut, Queensland nut, Nut oak, Nut Oak, Queensland Nut Tree, Queenslandnut

Macadamia Tree — Photo by Tony Rebelo (CC BY-SA) via iNaturalist

The Macadamia is a beautiful evergreen tree prized for its delicious, creamy nuts. It thrives in warm, tropical climates and makes a lovely addition to a large garden. You will enjoy its glossy foliage and fragrant, pendulous flower spikes.

Another photo of Macadamia nut — Photo by Martin Hannan-Jones (CC BY) via gbif

At a glance

Care level: Moderate
Plant type: Evergreen tree
Light: Full sun
Indoor light: Direct sun
Water: Every 7 to 14 days
Mature size: 10 to 15 meters
Growth rate: Medium
Hardiness: USDA 9 to 11
Bloom time: Late winter to spring

Care

Plant your tree in a spot with deep, well-draining soil and plenty of sunshine. Keep an eye out for yellowing leaves, which often signal a need for iron or magnesium. Protect young trees from strong winds to prevent branch breakage.

Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist but never waterlogged.
Feeding: Apply a low-phosphorus fertilizer during the active growing season.
Pruning: Prune lightly after harvest to maintain shape and encourage airflow.
Repotting: Repot only when the tree is young, as established trees prefer to stay in the ground.
Soil: Deep, fertile, well-draining soil
Soil pH: 5.0 to 6.5
Temperature: 5 to 35°C
Humidity: 60 to 90%
Drought tolerance: Moderate
Lifespan: Perennial, can live for 50 to 100 years.
Fragrance: Light
Deer and rabbits: Moderate

Signs it needs repotting

Roots growing out of the drainage holes.
Water running straight through the pot without soaking in.
Stunted growth despite regular feeding.

Safety

People: The plant is not toxic to humans, though the shells are a choking hazard.
Pets: This plant is not known to be toxic to cats, though ingesting the nuts can cause digestive upset. Macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs and can cause weakness, vomiting, tremors, fever and temporary hind leg paralysis, with symptoms usually passing within one to two days. Keep nuts and fallen fruit away from dogs.
Children: The hard shells pose a significant choking hazard to small children if ingested.
Contact allergens: The rough, serrated leaves can cause minor skin irritation upon contact.
Airborne allergens: The pollen may trigger mild seasonal allergies in sensitive individuals.
Edibility: Macadamia nuts are safe for humans but are highly toxic to dogs and can cause temporary paralysis.

How to identify it

Glossy, dark green leathery leaves
Whorled leaf arrangement on branches
Long, pendulous racemes of flowers
Hard, woody spherical fruit shells

Height: 6 to 12m
Spread: 4 to 9m
Leaves: dark green, evergreen
Flowers: white, cream, pink, 0.5 to 1cm
Fruit: green, brown, Autumn to winter

Problems to watch for

By symptom

Plant problems by symptom

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Growing it

Propagation: grafting, seed
When to plant: spring
Overwintering: Protect from frost by covering with horticultural fleece if temperatures drop near freezing. Ensure the soil remains well drained to prevent root rot during cooler, wetter months.
In containers: Not suitable for long term container growth due to its massive size and deep root system.

Grafting

Select a healthy rootstock seedling.
Take a scion from a known high yielding tree.
Join the scion to the rootstock using a whip and tongue graft.
Secure with grafting tape and keep in a humid environment until calloused.

Plant shallow rooted ground covers beneath the tree to help retain soil moisture without competing for deep nutrients.

Grows well with

Coffee · They share similar shade and moisture requirements in subtropical settings.
Ginger · Ginger thrives in the dappled light provided by the macadamia canopy.

Similar species

Macadamia tetraphylla · A closely related species with rougher, whorled leaves and slightly different nut quality.

Science

Family: Proteaceae
Genus: Macadamia
Order: Proteales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Rainforests of coastal Queensland, Australia.
Conservation: This species is considered vulnerable in its native habitat due to land clearing.

It thrives in the rich, volcanic soils of subtropical rainforests where it forms part of the mid-story canopy.

Value to wildlife: nectar source
Pollinators: bees
Uses: culinary nut production, ornamental shade tree, windbreak

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 2/9
Soil reaction: 5/9
Light: 7/9
Temperature: 8/9
Moisture: 6/9
Nutrients: 6/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Do I need two trees to get nuts?: While they are self fertile, planting more than one tree usually improves cross pollination and yields.
How do I know when to harvest?: The nuts are ready when they fall naturally to the ground.

Where the name comes from

The genus honors John Macadam, while the specific epithet refers to the entire, or smooth, margins of the leaves.

Good to know

Macadamias are native to the rainforests of Queensland, Australia.
They were named after John Macadam, a chemist and politician.
The nuts contain high levels of healthy monounsaturated fats.
It can take up to 7 years for a tree to produce its first significant harvest.

Keep your macadamia nut growing

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This guide was generated with AI on September 26, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.