Commercial Macadamia Tree Varieties - Torere Macadamias

Commercial Macadamia Tree Varieties

Torere Macadamias Limited trialled 30 macadamia varieties from 1993 to-date, including New Zealand, Australian, Hawaiian and South African cultivars of Tetraphylla, Integrifolia and Hybrids to find the best peforming commercial macadamias, suitable for New Zealand conditions. They have identified from the 1993 and 2003 trials, six superior commercial macadamia varieties that easily outperform all existing macadamia varieties kernel quality and kernel yield per hectare, grown in New Zealand.

What are Commercial macadamia varieties?

These are new macadamia varieties bred to produce high quality macadamia kernel recovery and excellent returns per hectare. Growers today have access to information from Torere Macadamias for each of the six superior commercial macadamia varieties. These macadamia varieties can also be viewed on location at the Torere Macadamias trials. See the list of characteristics below for Commercial macadamia varieties.

Torere Macadamias Limited have sole propagation rights and are maintaining a register of the 'A' macadamia varieties in New Zealand. This register includes the 15 new macadamia varieties they imported in 2002 which also included 6 of the newer 'A' macadamia varieties that were being trialled in Australia at the same time. The 'A' macadamia varieties are bred by Henry Bell (ex New Zealand) www.hvp-macadamias.com and consistently feature among the world's top performing macadamias today.

Torere Macadamias Limited commercial macadamia varieties are the best from the NZ macadamia trials and display the following characteristics;

Dropping of macadamia nuts - Drops it's crop (nuts) when they are mature and ready to be harvested; the macadamia nuts are harvested mechanically off the ground. No costly picking gangs required.

Increased macadamia productivity - Produce heavy crops of macadamias 2-3 years earlier and consistently higher than existing NZ macadamia varieties. Options for large, small and open or upright macadamia trees bearing fruit close to the tree trunk, allowing high density planting. i.e. more macadamia trees and more production per hectare.

Increased return – The macadamias kernel recovery is 10-15% higher than the thicker shelled NZ macadamia tree varieties where kernel and shell breakages result in high labour costs to sort shell from kernel. The high percentage of large and small whole kernel and high kernel recovery weight is the measure of viability and productivity per hectare, not the NIS (nut in shell) weight per tree.

Suitable for smaller lots of land - These top quality producing macadamias planted at medium (6mx6m) or high (6mx2m) density, is an attractive investment option for smaller land blocks where one orchard contractor can easily manage several small blocks of macadamia trees within a region.

Low maintenance - The new macadamia varieties open and/or upright shape do not require heavy pruning, are excellent pollinators and require minimal maintenance other than mowing, fertilising and harvesting - all mechanically.

Excellent Range of quality macadamia varieties - that produce large, small wholes or half kernels; that drop early, mid-year or late, varieties that are cool tolerant as well as small, tall or spreading. TML help with your planting plan.

Nutritional Supremacy - The nutritional properties of macadamias are far superior to other nuts. The Torere Macadamias Limited macadamia tree varieties have high oil content enabling processing at higher temperatures for a better quality macadamia nut product.

A29 upright. Macadamias crop around central leader A268 spreading. Macadamias crop thoughout the tree A104 upright. Macadamias planted at 2.5m apart