Macadamia
No series on growing organic bushtucker in Queensland would be complete without the famous macadamia nut.
For thousands of years, the Aboriginal peoples of eastern Australia sustainably harvested these nutritious native nuts from the rainforests of the Great Dividing Range, recognising their value as a nutritious food source.
The numerous minerals, antioxidants and vitamins of these nuts make them a healthy snack or ingredient whether eaten raw or roasted. Macadamias are an excellent source of calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc and selenium. They are also gluten-free, high in fibre, rich in heart-friendly mono-unsaturated fats and contain B-complex vitamins.
How to Grow Macadamias at Home
While regular macadamia trees can grow to 20m, dwarf varieties are available and ideal for smaller gardens and pots. These trees prefer full sun, protection from strong wind, well-draining soil low in phosphorus, and added decomposed manure to provide nutrients and organic matter. Keep soil damp but not waterlogged, use organic fertiliser in spring and prune quite hard at the end of winter.
Macadamias are partially self-pollinating but cross-pollination from other macadamia trees increases yields so do consider planting two. Encouraging pollinators such as bees by having insect-attracting plants nearby will also help.
Be patient! The tree grows fast but can take several years to produce a harvest of nuts.
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