How to Plant, Grow, and Care For Brazil Nut Trees

Brazil nut trees tower in the Amazon and produce the favorite nutritive nuts enjoyed worldwide. Gardening expert Katherine Rowe explores how to grow the tropical specimens in our edible landscapes.

closeup of brazil nut fruits hanging from tree

Contents

Brazil nut trees are among the tallest in the Amazon rainforest, with canopies that reach over 160 feet high. The longlived giants may survive for 500 to 800 years, bearing the lush, large fruits enjoyed locally and across the globe. At home, we can try to offer the best growing conditions to experiment with growing the tropicals in our own landscapes at a smaller scale.

Growing Brazil nuts outside their native range is an exercise in patience. It can take ten to twenty years for a tree to bear fruit. Large, round pods house the individual seeds (nuts) sought in culinary and natural care products. But their broad leaves make a unique and attractive addition to the collection, even when not in fruit.

Brazil Nut Tree Overview

A base angle shot of two dry fruits developing on a large plant
Plant Type Nut Tree
Family Lecythidaceae
Genus Bertholletia
Species excelsa
Native Area Brazil, Columbia, Bolivia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru
Exposure Full sun
Height 160’
Watering Requirements Average
Pests & Diseases Coffee bean weevil, Brazil nut leaf blight
Maintenance Average
Soil Type Average
Hardiness Zone 10-12

What are Brazil Nut Trees?

Castanheira-do-Para, a Brazilian name for this tree, is an important economic and calorie-rich food source, high in fat, oil, and protein. Used since pre-Colombian times, the nuts have a long history as a staple in the local diet. The fruits are high in selenium with antioxidant qualities. Brazil nut trees grow commercially for their delicious and valuable nuts and also for the oil they contain, used as nourishing emollients in natural skin care and hair products.

Creamy white blooms with yellow markings draw pollinators and are built for large-bodied bees who can wriggle into the hooded flowers to reach the nectar centers. Brazil nuts rely on these bees and bats, too, for fruit production. Large, round, woody fruits develop after flowering and fall to the ground, holding those delicious seeds inside.

If you live in a warm, frost-free tropical or subtropical climate, the trees grow year-round. You have the best chance of success at fostering a large landscape specimen with fruit-bearing potential. It’s not recommended to grow this tree in cooler zones where winter protection is necessary due to its size and extensive root system.

Characteristics

A close-up shot of dry fruit capsule and a flower of a large plant
The plant features panicles of orchids; it also bears fruit capsules on ends of thick stems.

Bertholletia excelsa are dry-season deciduous trees and angiosperms, producing flowers that need pollination to fruit. In the tropical forest, large-bodied orchid bees (the Euglossines) are the primary pollinators. They visit other flowering plants, including orchids, on their way up to reach the tall canopies, making the trip worthwhile. The tree’s reliance on the bees (who in turn rely on additional flowering specimens) for pollination exhibits the mutualistic relationship of an intact forest.

Panicle flowers flush in succession, opening early in the day before dropping by the evening. Though they last only a day, the profusion of blooms ensures one after another. After flowering, fruits develop over a long period of time, taking a year or more to mature. In the wild, the huge pods can reach six inches across and weigh up to five pounds. They hold 10 to 25 seeds each. A healthy, mature tree can produce 250 pounds of nuts in a year.

The seed capsules develop on the ends of thick stems, dropping between January and February (and as late as June) for harvesting. In nature, another symbiotic relationship occurs with the agouti, a native squirrel-like mammal. Agoutis feast on the dropped nuts as the only animals able to gnaw through a small hole in the outer hull. The agoutis eat the nuts and also store them in underground caches. Forgotten nuts develop into new seedlings a year or more later.

While wild tree stands yield most nuts commercially, plantations also produce them. Trees in cultivation use grafted rootstock for sturdy growth and production. To try our hand at growing our own Brazil nut trees at home, we’ll need to start with reputable seed stock or seedlings. Nuts from the grocery store are processed (usually boiled) for softness, which makes them unable to germinate.

Native Area

A shot of a large wild plant alongside other wild foliage
The plant is native to Brazil, Columbia, Bolivia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Peru.

Bertholletia excelsa grows naturally in Amazonian forest states as the upper canopy species. They grow in non-flooded, moist lowland forests in Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Brazil where they thrive in high humidity and moderate temperatures.

In their native environments, there is a wet season with drenching rains followed by a dry season that may last several months. The rainy season is around December through May, with the dry season from August to November. Trees drop their leaves and begin flowering in the dry season and into the wet season. Fruits develop and are ready for collection the following rainy season.

Planting

Brazil nut trees are frost-sensitive, requiring mild air and soil temperatures for best growth. When growing them from seeds, start them indoors for transplanting seedlings outdoors after the final frost passes. Temperatures above 60°F or 16°C (and even warmer) are preferable.

If growing in the landscape, plan plenty of space for a large tree to develop. In warm climates, they may thrive as a leafy shade tree. It is not recommended to grow this tree in a container due to its extensive size and root system that develops over time.

Transplanting 

An overhead shot of a seedling of a large plant that is placed on a small black plastic container outdoors
The seedlings require a hardening-off period before transplanting.

After starting seeds indoors, the seedlings should experience a hardening-off period before transplanting into the garden. As frost passes and temperatures warm, gradually expose them to outdoor conditions. 

Place seedlings in a protected area (out of direct sunlight and winds) and gradually move the plants to conditions mirroring their new garden location. This hardening-off period only takes about a week and gives seedlings a chance to acclimate to outside growing conditions.

How to Grow

Growing brazil nut trees in temperate climates means a few specific cultural conditions are necessary for the best growth and vigor. Consistent water, humidity, and moderate temperatures are key to their health.

Bees will pollinate outdoor specimens. Hand-pollinate with a paintbrush or cotton swab if the pollinators aren’t nearby. Flowering often begins at five years old or more. Of course, at a certain point, it will be impossible to hand-pollinate all the flowers on this massive tree. If that’s the case, enjoy the shade it provides.

Light

A shot of several dry fruit capsule alongside green foliage of a large plant basking in bright sunlight outdoors
The plant performs best in full sun exposure.

At the top of the forest, Brazil nut trees perform best in full sun. At least six hours of daily sunlight is best. They tolerate dappled afternoon shade in hot climates. 

Water

A person wearing a grey shirt holding a garden hose in the process of watering
During summer, provide an inch of consistent watering.

Accustomed to regular rainfall during the growing season, they need an inch or so of water per week in the summer. Offer supplemental water during hot, dry spells.

Consistent water and even moisture prevent stress and pest and disease problems. Reduce and hold water when overwintering to mimic a natural dry season. This triggers flowering and future fruiting. In the landscape, avoid supplemental irrigation in the cool season.

Soil

Close-up of a gardener's hand sprinkling organic granular fertilizer onto dark brown soil.
Use a well-draining, moist, and organically rich soil.

The forest floor is organically rich, and Brazil nut trees thrive in moist soils with good drainage. They adapt to lesser soils if they’re well-draining. A neutral to slightly acidic soil pH is ideal (5.5-7.0).

Topdress with compost at planting time to enhance soil richness, aeration, and moisture retention. Lightly turn the soil and compost as you dig in the new plants.

Temperature and Humidity

A base angle shot of a large plant bearing dry fruit capsule and flowers along its trunk all placed in a well lit area outdoors
They cannot withstand freezing conditions.

The mild-climate dwellers have ideal daytime growing temperatures between 75-85°F (24-29°C) degrees, with nighttime temperatures between 65-70°F (18-21°C). They won’t withstand freezing conditions.

Brazil nuts do best with humidity above 50%. This can vary depending on season and other conditions like arid climate.

Fertilizing

Close-up of a gardener pouring liquid fertilizer from a glass jar onto young seedlings in the garden. Liquid fertilizers are brownish-orange in color. The seedlings are young and consist of small heart-shaped leaves with finely serrated edges.
Use a balanced organic fertilizer but avoid overfertilizing.

Compost and fertile soils don’t require additional fertilizers. But, to give a boost to in-ground specimens, apply a balanced organic fertilizer in the spring (like 5-5-5). Applications of fish emulsion, kelp, or seaweed at planting and during growth add enrichment for growing, flowering, and fruiting.

Avoid overfertilizing, as too much nitrogen leads to stress and disease issues. It also creates leafy, vigorous new growth with weaker stems.

Maintenance

Hands holding dark brown, chunky bark pieces with a mix of fine and coarse textures.
Mulching and pruning are best practices for maintaining the plant.

Mulching is good practice at planting and as needed during the growing season. Layer two to three inches of weed-free straw or bark around the base, keeping it off of the trunk. Mulch aids moisture retention, weed suppression, and temperature regulation while preventing nematode spread through splashing water.

Prune away crossing, diseased, or dying branches as growth develops. Observe the form and canopy to prune for a well-branched, structural form with a central leader. Consult an arborist if you’re dealing with a large, mature tree.

Propagation

Seeding is the most common way to propagate at home. First, obtain seed from a reputable source. Nuts from the market have been processed for softness, often through boiling, which makes them unable to germinate.

In nature, germination can take a year or more as seeds lay in shaded soils. In more controlled settings, they germinate in two to three weeks (but can take longer up to three months). We’ll cover two seed prep methods to try. It may be worth trying both for sprouting. With either method, start seeds early indoors in January and February for a headstart on germination.

Growing From Seed

A close-up and macro shot of an opened capsule of dry fruits
Soften the seeds in moist sands and scarify them or soak them in water before planting

In the field, growers soften seeds in moist sand to provide scarification. You can also use sandpaper to scuff the hull before soaking (see below). After the sand soaks, remove the outer coating to reveal the softer central embryo.

The other prep method is to soak the seeds in water for 24 hours to promote sprouting. Rinse and resoak every 8 hours until seeds sprout. 

  • Plant seeds two inches deep in a lightweight, moist potting medium in a small pot with drainage. Situate the pointed end facing upward.
  • Place them in a spot with bright, indirect light and temperatures near 75°F (24°C) for germination.
  • Keep potting media evenly moist.
  • When seedlings are six inches tall, harden them off to prepare for planting.

Common Problems

Brazil nuts have few pest and disease issues. Optimal cultural conditions help prevent issues like root rot (from overwatering) or common garden pests (spider mites, aphids, scale). The cocoa weevil and Brazil nut leaf blight are potential problems in their growing range.

Pests

A close-up macro shot of a small brown insect called the Coffee Bean Weevil, sitting atop a green leaf
The cocoa or coffee bean weevil bores into fruits or on the tree.

In tropical and subtropical regions, the cocoa or coffee bean weevil (Araecerus fasciculatus) may be an issue. A small, brown, domed beetle, the tiny insect bores into fruits post-harvest or on the tree. You’ll see bore holes in the outer husk and tunneling or hollowness within the kernels. The adult lays eggs within the shell. The larvae are small, white grubs that feed on the nuts.

Native to India and widespread in agricultural products like coffee, the weevil impacts harvested fruits. In the U.S., it doesn’t survive well outside of food storage, but does occur. It warrants watching if you successfully grow Brazil nuts.

Diseases

Leaf blight on young leaves and stem of a plant showcasing its brown spots and severity of damage
The plant is vulnerable to a fungal leaf blight that affects its young stems.

Phytophthora heveae, or Brazil nut leaf blight, causes spots on leaves and blight on young stems. The soilborne fungus causes dieback as spots and lesions spread. The blight affects other crops like avocados, rubber trees, mangos, and coca.

Remove any impacted parts if you suspect any type of blight. Remove the tree if the spread continues. This isn’t a common pathogen in the U.S. but has been found in soil samples. It may be more prevalent in other growing areas.

To prevent blight, avoid oversaturation. Try not to water the leaves (outside of rainfall), as damp conditions and splashing from the soil can transfer spores on young trees. Aim for evenly moist soils with consistent watering to prevent drastic fluctuations and stress in the growing season.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Brazil nuts good for?

Brazil nuts pack loads of the antioxidant selenium and are a protein-rich food source. The nuts have a long history in the foodways of their native area and are popular raw, cooked, or ground into a meal or mash. The oils appear in natural body care products with moisturizing properties. The nuts fall from tall Amazonian trees in large pods that hold the individual seeds (nuts).

Can the trees grow in pots?

It is not recommended to grow this tree in a container due to its extensive root system and very large size.

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