Herb: Macadamia


Latin name: Macadamia integrifolia


Family: Proteaceae



Edible parts of Macadamia:

Seed - raw or cooked. Sweet and delicious, they can be added to cakes, biscuits, ice cream etc. They can also be ground into a flour and then added to cereals to enrich their protein value. The shell is very hard, making it difficult to extract the seed. An edible oil is obtained from the seed.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Tree

Height:
10 m
(33 feet)

Habitat of the herb:

Dry rainforests of the eastern coastal scrub.

Propagation of Macadamia:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a warm greenhouse. The dehusked seed germinates quickly at 25°C. The seed can also be sown in the spring in a warm greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. If trying them outdoors, give the plants some protection from the cold for their first few winters. Cultivars may be grafted.

Cultivation of the herb:

Dry rainforests of the eastern coastal scrub.

Medicinal use of Macadamia:

None known

Known hazards of Macadamia integrifolia:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.