A tree nut with a creamy and buttery texture and flavor. 

Native to Australia, it was not commercially cultivated until 1858.

In 1882, the nut was introduced to Hawaii, and it’s now an important state crop.

Macadamia trees are reproduced through grafting, and cultivated trees in Hawaii have very little genetic diversity. 

“70 Percent of the World’s Macadamia Nuts Came From One Tree in Australia” by Sabrina Imbler (2019) https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/macadamias-came-from-one-tree

 New Oxford Book of Food Plants by John Vaughan et al. (2009)

“Nut of Note: 70% of World’s Macadamia Can Be Traced Back to Single Australian Tree” by Naaman Zhou (2019)

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/jun/01/nut-of-note-70-of-worlds-macadamia-come-from-single-australian-tree

The Oxford Companion to Food. 3rd ed., by Alan Davidson and edited by Tom Jaine (2014)