Continue along the path, keep left of the rockery and cross the lawn on the right toward the garden bed to find a Macadamia Nut Tree (Macadamia integrifolia) which produces narrow racemes of cream flowers in spring and round green fruits from January to April. This is one of the Macadamic species that is extensively cultivated for the edible kernel of the seed – the Macadamia “Nut” which technically is really a follicle. It is a small rainforest tree occurring naturally in drier types of rainforests in northern Queensland.
“Hi guys, my name is Macadamia, but you can call me Mac. Do you want to try some of my nuts? My macadamia nuts. Everyone knows that they are very delicious.”
Transcript
The Macadamia Nut tree: "Hi guys, my name is Macadamia, but you can call me Mac. Do you want to try some of my nuts? My macadamia nuts. Everyone knows that they are very delicious. Roast them, put ice cream on them, put honey on them, put chocolate on them. There are lots of nuts in the world, peanuts, walnuts, cashew nuts, but my nuts are the top of the line. That’s what they say. If you haven’t tried them, what have you been doing with your life!
Everyone must eat macadamia nuts, except dogs, not good for dogs. I mean the dogs are welcome to eat them, but they would die.
But anyway, my family comes from Queensland mostly, but I am happy to be here. It’s nice to have people like you to come and visit. I’m glad I’m not in one of those ‘farm type situations’ having my nuts harvested all of the time, but it would be nice to have a few more of my species around.
I’m also the only macadamia nut tree in these gardens and every tree is jealous of my nuts, they are so special. I wouldn’t be a macadamia nut tree if I didn’t have macadamia nuts, would I? Are you going to try some or what? You should be able to find one or two on the ground, have a look! Oh, I should warn you, how do you feel about rats? They have made a nest here and they won’t leave me alone. I’ve almost gotten used to it, but I thought I should tell you. You want to know what really happened? Those trees over there, the Black Bean and the Native Quince, they sent the rats here to eat my nuts because they are so jealous, but you want to know my secrets? I’m sending the rats to the Brown Plum tree *evil laugh*."
