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Linda macadamia nut

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wslau:
Anybody have more information on the Linda macadamia nut (heritage, taste, size, hard-shelled?) or have one of these trees?
I saw these trees at my local Home Depot ($24), but I know they can also be directly purchased from Clausen's Nursery in Vista, CA (I think they are the propagator...so maybe a Vista creation?).  I could not find any literature on the Linda variety, unlike the established Cates and Beaumonts that have been sold in Southern California for decades. 

I believe Linda's are a hard-shelled variety based on its spiny leaves.  I also think these Linda's sold are seedlings or air layered, as I could not see a graft line on the trees. 

fyliu:
I bought my Cate seedling from HD a few years ago for about the same price at 5-6ft and it's flowering for the first time this year. Not sure if it'll set fruit yet.

They're likely to be seedlings since it's easier than airlayer.

Jack, Nipomo:
Problem with a seedling, of course, is that it will not be true to type.  One of the nurseries sells macadamia trees thru HD that carry a label identifying the tree as a "Cate".  On the reverse of the tag it is identified as a seedling.  I thought we were past this selling seedlings as a specific identifiable, predictable genetic type.  Given 10 years looking at a "Cate" seedling production and that of a true grafted or airlayered CATE, would lead to inevitable differences.  Growers need predictable outcomes, especially after an investment of time and $.  Ten years from planting the seedling's crop could just be junk.  Difficult enough differences caused by climate, soil, water quality, etc.  A seedling is a seedling, nothing more.  May be better, may be worse than parent(s).  To expect a specific outcome from a seedling's variability is unreasonable, and most people know that. So do the nurseries.

Of the 50 or so macadamias I raise, about a half are seedlings of unknown parentage.  Many, if not most, produce excellent nuts.  Some, not.  Of the 14 named varieties, grafted, nut quality corresponds with known standards. I don't think we should expect anything less.

Seedling trees graft easily as long as the scionwood is girdled about 3-4 months before cutting.  Results are close to 100%.

Josh-Los-Angeles:
I've had decent luck just calling the nursery and asking for info. They usually like pitching their products. If you do talk to them, please report back, Linda sounds interesting :)

wslau:

--- Quote from: Josh-Los-Angeles on April 05, 2014, 10:14:45 AM ---I've had decent luck just calling the nursery and asking for info. They usually like pitching their products. If you do talk to them, please report back, Linda sounds interesting :)

--- End quote ---

Josh,
That was a good idea....

I called Clausen this morning and they acknowledged that they have the mother tree...its been around for decades ...so its probably only propagated by them.
Linda is a cross between Beaumont and Jordan (sp?).
Like Beaumont, it produces fruit all year....unlike Cate which produces in a shorter time period.
Fruiting year-around has its advantages and disadvantages according to Clausen.
Since macadamias have a long shelf life, I'm thinking short season or all year-around fruiting doesn't really matter to the home grower.  For year-around varieties, Clausen mentioned that you will have to deal with pests (birds, squirrels, tree rats, etc) year-around.
Linda trees that are sold at HD are seedlings, but Clausen says they are very close to the parent.  They will fruit in 3-4 years from purchase, as they are already a few years old before they get to HD.
Linda can be grown in coastal or inland areas..
Linda produces medium-sized hard-shelled nuts.

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