The fruit pods grow at the ends of thick branches, then ripens and falls from the tree from January to June. Brazil nuts are harvested at plantations and in the wild. Plantations are being developed in various parts of the Amazon. Fazenda Aruana is the owner of a 12,000 hectare former cattle ranch, partially converted to a Brazil Nut plantation in 1980. Fazenda's original intent was to plant Brazil Nut trees in a 20 by 20 meter grids and allow cattle grazing between the trees.
Brazil nuts are know for their large fruits and seeds.
Another danger in using so few clones is the ability to resist attack of disease and insects. The bulk of the Brazil nuts that are harvested are done so in the wild. They are harvested during a five to six month period in the rainy season. The fruits, witch weigh from .5 to 2.5 kilograms and contain ten to twenty five seeds, are gathered immediately after they fall. This minimizes the chance of insect or fungal attack on seeds.