To see if the macadamia nuts are ripe, touch the outside of the macadamia nut. Is it sticky? Don't start picking macadamia nuts if they are sticky to the touch because they aren't ripe. Macadamias will fall to the ground when they are ripe, so the best time to harvest the nuts is as soon as they fall. This should be between March and August, and most will fall in May and June.
Most of those that fall from the tree are fully mature. Ripe nuts have a green shell or a greenish-brown shell that starts to open. The shell inside the shell is brown at maturity. Locate the branches of the macadamia nut tree that contain ripe nuts.
Ripe nuts can be identified by their open, split or cracked shell. Walnuts are usually ready to be harvested during the month of June. Macadamia trees don't need pruning to bloom and produce nuts, however, pruning is a good way to control the size of the tree. You can prune a macadamia tree at any height, but to avoid having to cut large branches, it's best to do it regularly.
Macadamia nuts grow on trees that can reach an astonishing height of 40 feet and are harvested through the use of long poles. Macadamia integrefolia with a smooth shell produces nuts, while macadamia tetraphylla with a rough shell produces nuts. The shelf life of macadamia nuts is affected by a variety of variables, such as humidity, temperature and storage mode. The main reason for the high cost of macadamia nuts is that the trees take a long time to bear fruit.
When planted in colder areas, macadamias may act as ornamental plants that provide shade, but they may not produce flowers or fruit well. Many people are happily surprised to discover that they have a macadamia tree in their suburban backyard, on land, on a grazing property, or even in an old orchard. Because macadamia trees were initially grown commercially in Hawaii, it is also known as the Hawaiian nut. From cooking, health and well-being to people, gift ideas and the country of macadamia, there's a lot to discover about this extraordinary Australian nut.
The faster you pick up the nuts from the ground, break them up and roast them, the fresher they will be and taste better. Macadamia trees grow in frost-free climates, including tropical and subtropical areas of the United States.
