The macadamia nut tree produces the versatile and useful nut that is equally beneficial as a nutrient and as a compound in many Hawaiian skin care products. Its commercial success is a testament of this fact and it remains a primary export product from its largest producer, Hawaii. The nut is used in many dishes including several chocolate bars and treats that are sold globally, but perhaps its greatest use comes in the form of the oil that it produces.

The macadamia nut oil is known to have amazing properties that can heal dry, damaged skin, slow down or reverse some of the effects of aging and help skin retain its natural moisture balance. Much of the oil's efficacy stems from the compound palmitoleic acid, which has incredible anti-aging properties. Regular use of the oil has the ability to improve skin texture while unlocking skin's natural glow.

Its benefits as a beauty product do not stop there; it also has minerals and vitamins that make it a perfect addition to any hair care regimen. Because it is light and non-greasy, the macadamia oil can treat dry scalp conditions without weighing down hair. Frequent use of the oil on the skin and hair produces spectacular results including, smoother more attractive skin and shinier more voluminous hair.

The nut itself is often considered indigenous to Hawaii by most people. It is hard not to think of the macadamia nut tree as having its roots firmly planted in Hawaiian soil from the initial point of the plant's discovery. Even though the nut is not indigenous to the islands it has certainly become one of its greatest exports. Hawaii is considered the "macadamia nut capital of the world" and rightly so. The relatively small chain of islands produces as much as 90-95% of the world's macadamia nuts.

Historically, the plant was not considered a food source. In fact, it was not until the 1900s that the plant would be recognized for its other qualities. The macadamia nut derives its name from the chemist John Mac Adams who died before he was even able to taste the nut dedicated to him by his colleague Baron Ferdinand Von Mueller.

The plant was brought over from the continent of Australia by William H. Purvis, a plantation manager who fell in love with the trees beauty on a visit there. The tree was first planted at Kapulena, where it thrived in what was and still is the perfect climate for the tree. For forty years the plant was considered a beautiful addition to the Hawaiian landscape and not much else.

It was therefore profitably sold as an ornamental tree in the years preceding the discovery of its savory nutmeat. The slow move to use the plant for other purposes was as the result of the nut's hard exterior which made it quite difficult to access. The first attempt to cultivate the tree for food purposes was a dismal failure.

In 1921, Earl Shelton Van Tassel decided to create the first macadamia plantation in the popular capital, Honolulu. His task proved near impossible because individual plants produced nuts of dissimilar sizes and quality. It would take another 20 years before the macadamia nut would reach its full potential, aided by the University of Hawaii, which carried out extensive research that eventually led to a better appreciation of the crop.

By the 1950's large corporations began putting money behind the crop. At this point the commercial sale and success of the plant's product was a reality. The pioneering investor was Castle and Cooke followed soon after by Breward and Company Ltd. The latter bought out the operations of Castle and Cook, renaming the business Mauna Loa. Mauna Loa is now the leading producer of the macadamia nut and continues to be the most recognizable name in the industry. There are, however, still small farmers who specialize in the cultivation of the nuts in Hawaii. Molokai, the small family business owned by Tuddie and Kammy Purdy has become somewhat of a tourist attraction. Visitors are welcomed to the farm where they can learn about the interesting processes involved in the cultivation of the crop and also about any interesting facts related to the macadamia industry and its history.

The macadamia nut is not picked like a regular fruit from a tree. Instead, the plants is left to grow and once ripened the nuts fall from the tree and are then harvested for use. The nut is an extremely hard nut to crack. It requires at least three hundred pounds of weight per square inch to break the shell completely, as expected it is the world's hardest nut. The macadamia industry in Hawaii employs some four thousand people and uses approximately 700 farms on the islands, with the majority being located on the Big Island. The cultivation techniques used by Hawaiian cultivators are said to be second to none, which partially explains the unmitigated success of the Hawaiian crop. The nuts have increasingly become more valuable because of their healthy compounds and great taste and are expected to remain a competitive export product for the islands.

The Macadamia nut tree is unquestionably a remarkable plant. The island of Hawaii has been fortunate to be home to the best yield of the nut that can be found anywhere in the world. The beauty and viability of the tree is indicative of nature's bounty and man's quest to make perfect use of it.

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