GOING nutty
When you delve into the world of nut production in Australia you’ll find the two big players are almonds and macadamias, the latter making up 50 percent of the nut production in Australia.
Australia, however, is a vast and diverse continent and you can find a popular nut variety growing in just about every state. Here are some favourites to grow if you have the space.
MACADAMIA, MACADAMIA INTEGRIFOLIA & M. TETRAPHYLLA
Members of the Proteaceae family along with grevillea and banksia, the two main species are M. integrifolia (smooth-shelled) and M. tetraphylla (rough-shelled). Both are endemic to subtropical rainforest locations along the East Coast of Australia.
These evergreen trees will grow to around 10–20m. There are a few smaller-growing cultivars ideal for home gardens. Most are self-pollinating as the flowers are bisexual. They are borne in mid-winter as long fragrant cream racemes and there’s a delightful pale-pink
