Although we’ve been here a few months now, we’re still finding hidden nooks we’ve overlooked.  I was poking about behind one of the sheds yesterday and found four odd looking trees with strange green fruit, some hanging down in clumps, others cascading in drops like beads on a string.  The trees’ leaves were glossy green and spiky, and the remnants of the flowers, although now shrivelled and brown, reminded me of something I’d seen before, almost like a yellow Bottlebrush.

Now, I’m completely rotten at identifying trees.  I’m always perpetually optimistic that any unidentified tree will suddenly spring forth and bear something edible.  But I’m also equally terrified I’ll misidentify something and poison myself. So, although I ‘think’ I’ve got it right, I’m not getting too excited just yet.

Here are a few pics of the trees’ fruits, leaves, flowers and nuts.  I’m sure you’ll identify it more accurately and faster than me…

As for the ‘fruit,’ most of it looked like it’d been taken by birds or animals.  Though under the trees there were signs that something had found the produce pretty edible…

And here’s the final clue; I found this whole nut under the trees:

My guess is the trees are macadamias.  The green ‘fruits’ have an outside husk with a super hard shelled round nut within.  The leaves and flowers also look like the macadamia pics I’ve found on Google, and it’s the right climate for macadamias…but, as I say, I’m useless at this!  I’m going to take some cuttings to the local nursery for identification (where I’m sure they’ll laugh at me behind the pot plants, but anyway!)

Feel free to add your thoughts on the identity of the mystery trees 🙂