How to prune macadamia

Late winter to early spring, after harvest and before spring growth flush. Remove dead, diseased, and inward-growing branches first. Then thin crossing branches and any that are shading the interior. Make clean cuts at a 45-degree angle just outside the branch collar. Aim to keep the tree to a manageable picking height of 4–5 m for home orchards.

Annually, after each harvest. Macadamia integrifolia benefits from light annual pruning to open the canopy, improve airflow, and maintain a manageable harvest height. Prune after harvest in late winter before the next flush of growth. Remove no more than 25% of the canopy in one season — heavy cutting delays cropping. Macadamias bear on current-season growth, so excessive removal directly reduces yield.

Remove dead, diseased, and inward-growing branches first. Then thin crossing branches and any that are shading the interior. Make clean cuts at a 45-degree angle just outside the branch collar. Aim to keep the tree to a manageable picking height of 4–5 m for home orchards.