Macadamia is a tree, a long-term addition to the landscape. It's hardy across USDA zones 9 through 11 and stands up to deer. Its winter flowers are a moderate draw for honeybees and native bees, even though the nuts are the prize.
Macadamia — the short answer
Macadamia: grown in zones 9–11, full sun, pH 4.5–7.
- USDA zones
- 9–11
- Hardy to zone 9 — Cal Poly SelecTree.
- Soil pH
- 4.5–7
- FAO ECOCROP
- Sun
- Full Sun
- Growable Ground Plant Database
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — each tile names its own row's source, because per-field provenance varies.
Score Macadamia on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether macadamia actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score macadamia against your land's real conditions.
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What Macadamia is
Macadamia grows as a perennial and reaches around 35 feet at maturity. It blooms white in winter. It's also deer-resistant.
How to grow Macadamia
Macadamia grows in USDA zones 9 through 11. Macadamia does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 4.5 to 7, on well-drained ground. It needs around 3,500 growing degree days to mature, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
9-11
Rated hardy to zone 9 by Cal Poly SelecTree, checked Oct 2026. Ceiling: Cal Poly SelecTree (read 2026-10-06).
Soil pH
4.5 - 7
FAO ECOCROP
Sun
Full Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Minimum Growing Temperature
46.4°F
Below this it stops growing rather than dies — a pace limit, not a survival limit.
FAO ECOCROP
GDD Required
3500+
Growing degree-days of accumulated warmth it needs to mature — humid summers reach this faster than cool coastal ones.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Mature Height
35 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Plant it right
Set macadamia in full sun with well-drained soil. Many fruit trees need a second variety nearby to pollinate — check before you plant just one.
Match the soil
Macadamia prefers pH 4.5 to 7 (FAO ECOCROP). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Be patient, then harvest
Prune annually while the tree establishes; fruit trees reward patience with years of harvest. Local Extension guides publish per-cultivar bearing-age tables.
Where Macadamia thrives
Macadamia is hardy across USDA zones 9 through 11. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
A USDA zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme winter minimum, so zones 9–11 spans average winter lows from 20°F to 50°F (USDA PHZM 2023). Across the 50 states and DC, that band covers none outright but splits 17 down the middle — and which side of that line your land sits on changes the answer.
Zones 9–11·Where Macadamia growsOpen map →
This map is derived from the USDA ARS / PRISM Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) and is not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
Where Macadamia stands, state by state
Macadamia is rated for zones 9–11 — a cold floor USDA puts at 20 to 30°F. Across the 50 states and DC, 0 sit fully inside that band, the line runs through 17 more, and 34 sit outside it — and inside every split state, the same line runs on at county grain.
The line runs through
17 states
- Alaska · zones 1a-9a
- California · zones 4b-11a
- Nevada · zones 4a-10a
3 of 17 shown
Macadamia’s band covers part of each of these states — which side of the line your county sits on changes the answer, and each state page draws it.
State zone extents: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023. A zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme minimum temperature, so a state that splits the band contains the boundary — its own page draws the county line, and a parcel report resolves which side your land sits on.
What grows around Macadamia
Growing guides for macadamia
Good to know
One caution for pet owners — macadamia is toxic to dogs (moderate severity). Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)
Macadamia offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators.
Before you harvest macadamia, know your soil
Anything you grow to eat takes up what's in the ground it grows in, so it's worth knowing what's documented near you before you plant macadamia for food. Our free screen reads 8 federal source types across roughly 1.8M indexed sites and shows which sit near your address and which way they drain. It's a screening estimate from public records and proximity — not a soil test — so a nearby record means a soil test is worth it, not that your soil is unsafe.
Your land is one point inside Macadamia's range
This page resolves to the species. Your state page draws the county line, and a report reads the parcel — the soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates on your exact ground, which no species average can see.
See if Macadamia will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether macadamia actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources analyzed in seconds
How we know this about Macadamia
The figures above are cited per row, not per site: the pH band names this plant’s own source column, the three temperature figures each carry their own, and days-to-maturity cites the publication that actually lists it. All of it comes from the Growable Ground Plant Database — a compilation over FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources, published openly with per-field provenance.
Grounded inUSDA PLANTS Database•ASPCA
Frequently asked questions
Can I grow Macadamia in my zone?
Macadamia grows in USDA hardiness zones 9 through 11 (Rated hardy to zone 9 by Cal Poly SelecTree, checked Oct 2026. Ceiling: Cal Poly SelecTree (read 2026-10-06).). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Macadamia?
Set macadamia out in early spring or fall while it's dormant, so the roots establish before the heat of summer. Your local last-frost date — which a Growable Ground report pulls for your exact address — sets the precise window.
How much sun does Macadamia need?
Macadamia needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Macadamia need?
Macadamia prefers soil pH 4.5 to 7, on well-drained ground (FAO ECOCROP). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Macadamia attract pollinators?
Yes — macadamia's flowers are a solid nectar source for honeybees and native bees.
Is Macadamia safe for pets?
Macadamia is toxic to dogs with moderate severity. Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)
Keep exploring Macadamia
Macadamia state by state
Every state macadamia's zone reaches — 9 link straight to that state's macadamia growing page; the rest open the state's full growing guide.