These are preferred for commercial cultivation because the kernel has better processing properties. They are probably also best for home gardens because they do not have prickly leaves, however M. tetraphylla below have more attractive flowers. M. Tetraphylla Characterized by prickly leaves in whorls of four, red new leaves, long pink or cream racemes, and a rough shelled nut. The kernel is also slightly sweeter, but easier to burn when cooked. There are several non edible species as well, including M. ternifolia , M. praealta , M. wickhamii .
Macadamias are native only to the subtropical rainforests on the East Coast of Australia.
The genus was named by Ferdinand Von Mueller and Walter Hill in the 1850s after Dr John MacAdam, a prominent scientist of the time. The two edible species M. integriflolia and M. tetraphylla are found in rainforest pockets of South-East Queensland and Northern Rivers of New South Wales. Several non edible species extend the range to Coastal North Queensland. By contrast, the Hawaiians recognized the commercial potential in the 1930s and for this reason it is often assumed that Macadamias originate from Hawaii. World wide, they are now grown in many parts of the world including Australia, Hawaii, California, New Zealand, South Africa, Malawi, Kenya, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Brazil, Thailand and China.