Cacao, Chocolate - Theobroma cacao Theobroma cacao a.k.a. Chocolate, Cocoa Large, podded fruit, colored either red, yellow, green or a combination of the three. Pulp is white, edible, and surrounds 20-60 seeds which when fermented and roasted, become the cocoa beans of commerce. Seed Availability Seeds are not available for the Cacao. Please visit our seed store to view current selections. Seeds were last available in June 2016. Description A small and pretty understory rainforest tree, usually only 10-20ft tall, although occasionally higher. The tree is small and can be container grown. After 2-3 years from planting, flowers may form and are produced in the thousands from the trunk and main branches (cauliflory). However, only a tiny percentage of the flowers go on to bear fruit. There are two main subspecies of Theobroma cacao: T. cacao ssp. cacao, commonly known as the Criollo line, and T. cacao ssp. sphaerocarpum, also known as the Calabicillo line.

Calabicillo cacao is native to the Amazon and Orinoco river region, while Criollo cacao is native to Southern Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. Most of the world production of cocoa comes from the Calabicillo line, as the trees tend to be more vigorous and are less susceptible to diseases. However, the flavor of Criollo beans is reputedly better. Hybrids of the two subspecies are called Forastero cacao's. Hardiness Cacao trees are strictly tropical and are usually killed if temperatures drop even briefly below 40F, or exceed 100F. Prolonged exposure (days to weeks) to temperatures below 55F is fatal. Sunset Zones: 23, 24, H1, H2 USDA: 11+ Growing Environment The trees thrive in areas of high humidity and rainfall, and prefer rich, organic, well-drained soils. Flooding or droughts are not tolerated. Propagation By seeds, which should never be dried if intended for propagation. Uses Pulp is sometimes eaten fresh. Seeds are removed from the pods, fermented for 2-8 days and left to dry in the sun. Following this they are roasted and processed for use as cocoa.

Fat extracted from the seeds is cocoa butter and has a variety of cosmetic and dietary uses. Cacao beans were once used as a currency. Native Range Native to lowland rainforest regions of Central and Northern South America, particularly those of the Orinoco and Amazon rivers. The scientific genus name, Theobroma, means fruit of the Gods. Additional Pictures Theobroma cacao (cocoa tree) | Plants & Fungi At Kew Theobroma cacao (cocoa tree) Cocoa tree is the source of one of the world's most delicious and familiar products... chocolate. Fruits of Theobroma cacao cocoa, cocoa tree, chocolate tree, cacao tree, food of the Gods. Conservation status: Food, medicinal, cosmetics, peat mulch alternative. Taxonomy Genus: Theobroma About this species The edible properties of Theobroma cacao were discovered over 2,000 years ago by the local people of Central America living deep in the tropical rainforests. In the year 2008-2009 world cocoa production was 3,515,000 tonnes.

This is equivalent to the weight of a line of double-decker buses stretching more than three times the length of Britain! The scientific name Theobroma cacao was given to the species by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1753, when he published it in his famous book Species Plantarum. Theobroma means 'food of the gods' in Latin, and cacao is derived from the Nahuatl (Aztec language) word xocolatl, from xococ (bitter) and atl (water). Chocolate is more than just a delicacy; evidence suggests that eating between 46 and 105g chocolate a day can have a moderate effect on lowering blood pressure. Cocoa has been used for an array of medicinal purposes. Unfermented cocoa seeds and the seed coat are used to treat a variety of ailments, including diabetes, digestive and chest complaints. Cocoa powder, prepared from fermented cocoa seeds, is used to prevent heart disease. Cocoa butter is taken to lower cholesterol levels, although its efficacy is unclear. It is also used widely in foods and pharmaceutical preparations, as well as being used as a rich moisturiser for the skin.

Genus: Discover more Geography and distribution Cocoa is native to Mexico, Central America and northern South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Brazil, Guyana, Surinam and French Guiana). It has also been introduced as a crop plant into many tropical African and Asian countries. In its natural habitat, cocoa grows in the understorey of evergreen tropical rainforest. It often grows in clumps along river banks, where the roots may be flooded for long periods of the year. Cocoa grows at low elevations, usually below 300 metres above sea level, in areas with 1,000 to 3,000 mm rainfall per year. Description Cocoa fruits on a tree at Kew Overview: Cocoa is a spindly, evergreen tree 5 to 8 m tall, found growing in the shade of giant trees occupying the top layer of the rain forest. It has a taproot, which penetrates far below the soil surface. Leaves: Its dark green leaves are shiny, leathery, egg-shaped or elliptic in shape and 20 to 35 cm long and 7 to 8 cm wide. The leaf surfaces are hairless or covered in scattered star-shaped hairs.

The base of the leaf is rounded or heart-shaped, and the tip is long and drawn out allowing water to drip from it. Flowers: Cocoa flowers are small, yellowish white to pale pink, and grouped together in clusters arising directly from the trunk (cauliflory). Flowers are produced throughout the year. Fruit: In the wild, cocoa trees are pollinated by midges, and only about 5% of flowers receive enough pollen to start fruit development. When they are pollinated there is a dramatic change as the tiny flowers develop into massive fruits. Cocoa pods The fruit is an egg-shaped red to brown berry (commonly referred to as a 'cocoa pod'), 15 to 25 cm long, with a more or less knobbly surface and lines from top to bottom. The 'pod' contains 30 to 40 seeds, each of which is surrounded by a bitter-sweet white pulp. In the wild the seeds are dispersed and eaten by different mammals like agutis and monkies. When the seeds are dried and fermented in the sun they are brownish red, and known as cocoa beans.

The genus Theobroma The genus (the cocoa species and its siblings) Theobroma consists of 22 species, including the Brazilian species Theobroma cupuacu, which provides a bitter-sweet pulp widely used in juice drinks in the Amazon. The Malvaceae family, of which cocoa is a member, contains many economically useful plants. These include cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), ornamental Hibiscus species, okra (ladies fingers, Hibiscus esculentus), Ceiba and Bombax species (from which kapok fibre is derived), durian fruit (Durio zibethinus) and balsawood (Ochroma pyramidale). The history of chocolate The edible properties of Theobroma cacao were discovered over 2,000 years ago by the indigenous people of Central America living deep in the tropical rainforests. The Olmecs living in Mexico and Guatemala established their first cacao plantations around 400 BC, and by 250 AD the Mayans depicted cocoa in their elaborate hieroglyphic writings and on carvings and paintings.

Historical accounts about also point to widespread use of chocolate in Maya and Aztec engagement and marriage ceremonies and religious rituals. In this respect chocolate occupied the same niche that expensive French wines and champagne do in European culture today. The Aztecs and Maya peoples had many ways of making food and drink from cocoa seeds (commonly referred to as 'cocoa beans'). They also used the beans as money, for example exchanging one turkey for 200 beans, or one slave for 100 beans. Cocoa beans were so precious that only the royals, warriors and the wealthy could afford to eat and drink chocolate. The hieroglyphs tell us that the Aztecs and Maya peoples drank cocoa powder suspended in water, and used flavourings such as chillies (Capsicum annuum), vanilla (Vanilla planifolia), achiote (Bixa orellana), aromatic herbs and honey. From Columbus to Cadbury Chocolate was seen in Mexico by Christopher Colombus in August 1502. It is said that he came across a large canoe loaded with some small beans that looked to him like goat droppings, and that he paid them little attention!

However, once Spanish explorers discovered its decadent delights in the 1520s, they brought cocoa beans home, sweetened the water-based recipe and spread this delicacy throughout Europe. By the middle of the 17th century sweetened hot chocolate was very popular throughout Europe, especially among the elite. Cocoa arrived in the British Isles in the 1650s, which was more or less at the same time as coffee. With Cromwell’s forces Britain took over the control of Jamaica from the Spanish. At the time cacao plantations were already flourishing there, and these became the main source of British chocolate. The story goes that the first person to dissolve cocoa in milk was the British medical doctor and avid collector, Sir Hans Sloane. As a young man, he was stationed as a doctor in Jamaica where he collected the very chocolate plant that Carl Linnaeus used to give chocolate its scientific name. Hans Sloane, also a clever businessman, later sold the idea to the Cadbury family. Hans Sloane’s collections later founded the British Museum, and his chocolate specimen can be seen on display in the Darwin Centre in the Natural History Museum in London.

What a cocoa bean is made of Flowers of Theobroma cacao (Image: Wolfgang Stuppy) Cocoa beans (dried and fermented cocoa seeds) possess 45-53.2% fat in the form of cocoa butter (also known as theobroma oil) which is made up of a variety of fatty acids. Cocoa beans contain up to10% of phenols and flavenoids which are antioxidants potentially inhibiting cancer or cardiovascular diseases, as well as potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron. Additionally, they contain 1-3% theobromine and caffeine, alkaloids that stimulate the central nervous system. Caffeine has a positive effect on mental alertness, for instance when taken in caffeinated drinks. The ingredients for chocolate – cocoa powder and cocoa butter (solids) – are prepared from fermented and roasted cocoa seeds. A typical bar of milk chocolate contains around 15% cocoa liquor and 20% cocoa powder. The distinctive flavour of chocolate develops during the fermentation process. Alternative to peat mulch The crushed shells of cocoa beans are used as an alternative to peat mulch. Mulches are layered on to the soil surface to suppress weeds, conserve moisture, improve its visual appearance and minimize erosion.

Not only does this make good use of cocoa-shell, which is a by-product of the chocolate industry, but it also helps reduce the use of peat. Peat bogs are important sites for wildlife and also help to protect the earth from global warming. In Great Britain, over 94% of the 69,700 hectares of peat bogs have been damaged or destroyed. Most of this damage has occurred in the last 50 or so years, since the promotion of large-scale use of peat for the horticultural industry, which now discourages this. Known hazards Cocoa is known to have minor or moderate interactions with certain drugs, and it may cause adverse reactions when eaten or applied to the skin. Chocolate is considered a delicacy for humans, but cocoa solids contain the alkaloid theobromine, which is toxic to pets such as cats and dogs. Excessive amounts of chocolate and cocoa may be harmful during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Millennium Seed Bank: Seed storage Theobroma cacao dried specimen collected in Bahia. Kew's Millennium Seed Bank Partnership aims to save plant life worldwide, focusing on plants under threat and those of most use in the future.

Seeds are dried, packaged and stored at a sub-zero temperature in our seed bank vault. As the seeds of the cocoa tree are recalcitrant (meaning that the seeds are not amenable to long term frozen storage as they would not survive drying to the required levels in the seed bank), it is not possible store this kind of seed in a seed bank. Conservation of cocoa varieties therefore rely entirely on live trees in plantations and in the wild. Cultivation Theobroma cacao grows best under tropical conditions, with strong light and high humidity. A loam-based compost with plenty of organic matter (such as coir) should be used. The tree should be kept moist and the foliage damped-over daily, except during sunny weather when scorching may occur. Soft water should be used to prevent limescale deposits on the leaves. Mulching around the base of the tree with well-rotted compost will help the soil to retain moisture and prevent weeds. A balanced liquid of leaves should be given during the summer and high potash during the winter, once a week. Pruning should be carried out to maintain the required shape.

Cocoa can be propagated by seed, using a propagator set to a temperature of 22 to 23 ˚C. Germination should take between 10 and 14 days. The seedlings grow very quickly and require regular potting up. Flowers are borne on the old wood of the tree, and are pollinated by ants at Kew, although hand-pollination using a paintbrush is possible. Once the tiny flowers are fertilised, the fruit grows into the familiar 'cocoa pod' (the fruit is actually a berry). Growing-on temperatures in a glasshouse should be 22 to 24 ˚C during the day and 18 ˚C during the night. Cocoa is prone to glasshouse pests, such as mealy bug and scale insect. These can be kept in check by using biological controls or systemic insecticides. Small infestations can be dealt with using alcohol and a paint brush. Commercial cocoa cultivation In 2008-2009 the world cocoa production was 3,515,000 tonnes. This is equivalent to the weight of a line of double-decker buses stretching more than three times the length of Britain!

Despite the fact that cocoa is native to tropical America, world production (2008-2009) is spread as follows: West Africa 71%, Central and South America 13%, Southeast Asia 16%. A number of different cocoa cultivars are grown commercially, and these have historically been divided into three main groups: The Forestero group is cultivated in West Africa and Brazil and represents 80 to 90% of the world’s cocoa plantations. In these cultivars the fruit is rounded and almost smooth, and the pod husks are hard and green with 30 or more seeds per pod. The Criollo group represents about 10% of the world’s cocoa plantations. Its importance is on the wane, but it is still grown in the Caribbean, Venezuela, Ecuador and Papua New Guinea. It is, however, the most highly appreciated and the Criollo beans have always been used for the best quality chocolates. The yellow or red pod husks are soft and thin and there are 30 or more seeds per pod. The Trinitario group is a good quality hybrid between Criollo and Forestero, with a good, but less intense, aroma than Criollo beans.

Trinitario husks are hard and thick, and variable in colour, with 30 or more seeds per pod. Cocoa at Kew Flowers and Fruit of the Cocoa Tree, painted at Singapore by Marianne North Theobroma cacao can be seen in Kew’s Princess of Wales Conservatory, and also in the Palm House, which displays plants from tropical rainforests, including those of economic value such as banana (Musa), rubber (Hevea), cotton (Gossypium) and coffee (Coffea). There are over a hundred specimens of Theobroma cacao in Kew's Economic Botany Collection. These include samples of bark, shells, seeds ('beans'), cocoa butter, cocoa liquor, nibs (the dried and roasted kernel of the cocoa bean that remains after the husk has been removed), powder, fruit ('pods'), paste, leaves, flowers and even a carved wooden elephant. These items are available to researchers on request. To view a selection of this collection and to discover more about the chocolate tree, visit the Plants+People exhibition in Museum No.1. Kew's Herbarium contains both dried and alcohol-preserved specimens of Theobroma cacao.

Details of some of these can be viewed in the Herbarium Catalogue. These include images of specimens from the herbaria of George Bentham (1800-1884, author of the classic Handbook of the British Flora) and William Hooker (1785-1865, Kew’s first official Director). References and credits Coe, S. D. (1994). America’s First Cuisines. University of Texas Press, Austin. Coe, S. D. & Coe, M. D. (2007). The True Story of Chocolate. 2nd Edition. Thames & Hudson Ltd., London. Foster, N. & Cordell, L. S. (eds) (1996). Chillies to Chocolate. The Food the Americas Gave the World. University of Arizona Press, Tucson. Schultes, R. E. & Raffauf, R. F. (1990). The Healing Forest. Dioscorides Press, Portland, Oregon. Simpson, B. B. & Ogorzaly, M. C. (2001). Economic Botany.

Plants in Our World. 3rd Edition. McGraw-Hill Higher Education, New York. Smart, J. & Simmonds, N. W. (1995). The Evolution of Crop Plants. 2nd Edition. Longman Group UK Ltd., Harlow. Young, A. M. (2007). The Chocolate Tree: Natural History of Cacao. Florida University Press, Gainsville. Kew science editor: Bente Klitgård Kew contributors: Olwen Grace (Sustainable Uses Group); HPE Copyediting: Emma Tredwell While every effort has been taken to ensure that the information contained in these pages is reliable and complete, the notes on hazards, edibility and such-like included here are recorded information and do not constitute recommendations. No responsibility will be taken for readers’ own actions. Cacao (Theobroma cacao) | Rainforest Alliance The Latin name for cacao is Theobroma, which means 'food of the gods.' Botany You might hear many different words describing chocolate. The Latin name for cacao is Theobroma, which means 'food of the gods.' Anyone who has tasted cocoa knows why this name is so appropriate.

Cocoa is the processed product derived from the beans of the cacao plant. The word "chocolate" is from the Aztec word, "xocolatl," which means "bitter water." The cacao tree is an evergreen that grows to about 15 to 25 feet. The fruits and flowers of the cacao tree grow directly from its trunk. The tree grows an oblong fruit commonly called a pod, which can be four to 12 inches long. When the pod is young it is green in color, and can turn yellow, red or purple when ripe. Each pod contains 20 to 60 reddish-brown cocoa beans up to an inch long, which are usually arranged in five rows surrounded by a sugary pulp. Pods are usually harvested at the end of the wet, or rainy, season. It takes seven to 14 pods to produce one pound of dry cocoa beans. Habitat Cacao trees usually grow below altitudes of 1,000 feet in areas that receive about 4 inches of rain per month. They cannot survive in very dry weather and thrive in climates with high humidity and rainfall.

These plants are shade-tolerant and thrive in moist, nutrient-rich, well-drained, deep soils. Because cacao trees grow well in the shade, the rainforest does not need to be cut down in order to grow cocoa. While cocoa likely originated in the lowland rainforests of the Amazon River basins of South America, it is now found as far north as the south of Mexico. The end product of cocoa beans—chocolate—can be found in stores all over the world! Significance to Humans Cocoa has been a food for humans since as far back as 600 to 200 B.C. when the first hot chocolate drink was made from mashed cocoa seeds. Cocoa is now a major cultivated food crop. Because chocolate is in such high demand throughout the world today, it is important that cacao trees be grown and harvested sustainably- in a way that is safe for wildlife, people and the environment. Sources Theobroma cacao - Meet the Plants - National Tropical Botanical Garden Plant Database Species: Theobroma cacao L. - Cacao (National Plant Database.

2004.) Description: Cacao is a handsome evergreen tree about 12-15 feet high and branching at the top. The bark is smooth and brownish and the wood is light and white. The leaves are dark green, petiolate, lanceolate shaped and smooth on both sides. The flowers are very small, clustered , white with a reddish tint and scentless. The tree bears its leaves, flowers and fruits all year round but the usual season for gathering the fruits is June and December. The fruits grow right out of the trunk and branches of the tree and ripen into long, orange pods. The opened pod reveals several rows of seeds, also called cocoa "beans". There are approximately 40 seeds in each pod and each of them is coated with a sweet, juicy, delicious pulp. Fresh seeds are white and the inside of them is rich brown, with the taste of unsweetened cocoa powder. The best cacao seeds are large, full and heavy, smooth, with a light chestnut-brown color, dry, not musty, with an agreeable odor and a mild bitter, fatty taste. When the kernels are separated from the shell, they should be shining violet-brown. (Klein, R.

M. The Green World, An Introduction to Plants and People.) (Schultes, R. E. and Raffauf, R. F. The Healing Forest.) (Forsyth, A. How Monkeys Make Chocolate.) Geographic Distribution: Native to lowlands of South America the Cacao trees grow wild, scattered in the tropical rainforest. In the early seventeenth century the trees were introduced to Africa by the Portuguese. (Klein, R. M. The Green World, An Introduction to Plants and People.) (Schultes, R. E. and Raffauf, R. F. The Healing Forest.) (Forsyth, A. How Monkeys Make Chocolate.) Food Uses: The seeds ("beans") of cacao contain fatty matter (40-50%), theobromine, small quantities of caffeine, tannins, polyphenols, nitrogen and fiber. Cacao seeds are prepared for commerce by drying in the sun in which case they retain their bitterness and astringency or they are cured by a sweating process in which case their bitter and astringent properties are modified and the color of the seeds changed. In the process of drying the seeds develop the color, odor and flavor associated with chocolate.

Chocolate is probably the most delicious flavor that humans have discovered. It is made from dried and roasted seeds of Cacao grounded into a powder and than boiled with milk or/and water and various other spices. Chocolate is a very nutritious and delicious article of diet for invalids and convalescing persons and for healthy people too. However Chocolate has some downsides: a single ounce of chocolate contains approximately 150 calories and 9-10 grams of fat and 65% of the calories from chocolate comes from fat. (Klein, R. M. The Green World, An Introduction to Plants and People.) (Schultes, R. E. and Raffauf, R. F. The Healing Forest.) (Forsyth, A. How Monkeys Make Chocolate.) Medicinal Uses:** Butter of Cacao is extracted by expression, decoction or the action of a solvent. The Oil of Theobroma or Cacao butter is solid, yellowish-white, and highly nutritious with a bland chocolate taste like. It is used as a substitute for cod-liver oil or as diet during the last days of pregnancy. It is also an ingredient in pharmacy for coating pills and preparing suppositories.

It has excellent emollient properties and is used in cosmetic ointments, to soften and protect chopped hands and lips and in preparation of fancy soaps, various cosmetics and pomatums. Theobromine, the alkaloid contained in the beans, resembles caffeine in its action, but its effect on the central nervous system is less powerful. Its action on muscle, the kidneys and the heart is more pronounced. It is used principally for its diuretic effect due to stimulation of the renal ephitelium. It is useful when there is an accumulation of fluid in the body resulting from cardiac failure, in which case is given with digitalis to relieve dilatation. It is also administered in powders or cachets in high blood pressure because it dilates the blood vessels. In many countries of the world Cacao is used for its medicinal values, because of its antiseptic, diuretic, parasiticide, vulnerary and emmenagogueue properties. For examples in Dominic Republic Cacao is used as diuretic and for kidney affections. In Ghana, for cough and as dentrifice In Haiti, Cacao treats burns, dry lips and rheumatism. In Mexico, the snake bites and wounds are treated with Cacao.

In Venezuela, Cacao is used for alopecia and in Panama as antiseptic and parasiticide. The medicinal use of infusion of the leaves as a heart tonic is widespread in Colombia. Indigenous people from Tropical America use the toasted seeds boiled with water to relieve a condition of the scalp, like eczema. A decoct made from the bark of the tree is used as weakly wash for a local cutaneous disease.

There are many chemicals contained in the seeds, leaves, flowers and petioles of the Cacao tree such as alanine, alkaloids, amyl-alcohol, amylase, arabinose, arachidic-acid, ash, aspariginase, biotin, campesterol, carbohydrates, catalase, catechins, catechol, cellulose, chloride, cholesterol, copper, cyanidin, decarboxylase, dextrinase, ergosterol, fat, fiber, formic-acid, fructose, furfurol, glucose, glutamic-acid, glycerin, glycine, iron, isoleucine, kilocalories, lactic-acid, leucine, linalool, lipase, lysine, maleic-acid, mannose, nicotinic-acid, oleic-acid, oxalic-acid, palmitic-acid, peroxidase, protein, purine, riboflavin, stearic acid, sucrose, tannins, tartaric-acid, valeric-acid, vanillic-acid, vitexin, water, xylose. (Klein, R. M.

The Green World, An Introduction to Plants and People.) (Schultes, R. E. and Raffauf, R. F. The Healing Forest.) (Forsyth, A. How Monkeys Make Chocolate.) ** The information provided above is not intended to be used as a guide for treatment of medical conditions using plants. Status: The trees are cultivated in large estates in the shade of the Banana trees or other large plants, in Mexico, West Indies, South America, and Africa. Countries that produce Cacao are Ghana, the Ivory Coast, Brazil, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Nigeria. Cacao trees grow best in regions of high humidity with stable temperature, areas found only in the tropical zones within 20 degrees north or south of the Ecuador. There are three types of Cacao trees: 1. The "Criollo type" produces the best chocolate and is grown in South America. 2. The "Forastero type" is the main type grown in Africa. 3. The "Trinatario type", a hybrid between the other two types, is widely grown because of the vigor of the tree. (Klein, R. M. The Green World, An Introduction to Plants and People.) (Schultes, R.

E. and Raffauf, R. F. The Healing Forest.) (Forsyth, A. How Monkeys Make Chocolate.) Native Legends and Names: Legend says that in the time of the Aztec Empire as a part of the ceremony of coronation and religious rituals, the priests and nobility would sip reverently a liquid made from a plant that had been offered as gift to humanity from the God of the Air, Quetzalccoatl. The drink, Chocolate, was invested with sacred powers because it was believed that only through partaking of this beverage the humans would acquire the ability to communicate with their God. Cortez, the Spanish conquistador reached Mexico in the early sixteen century, at the time of the coronation of Montezuma II and he was giving to taste a very bitter, very hot liquid made of dried, coarsely ground beans of the sacred Chocolate tree, mixed with unknown spices in hot water. Through Cortez, the Europeans learn the delicious secret contained in the fruits of the Cacao tree. Westerners first saw the pod shaped fruits of the Chocolate tree, the Cacahual, when Columbus was given several fruits on his first voyage to the New World.

He offered them as gifts to Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, but at that time no one had any idea what they can be used for, so the Cacao nuts got lost on the Spanish court. Cacao was named Theobroma by Linnaeus, the word meaning "food of the Gods". (Klein, R. M. The Green World, An Introduction to Plants and People.) (Schultes, R. E. and Raffauf, R. F. The Healing Forest.) (Forsyth, A. How Monkeys Make Chocolate.) Where Does Chocolate Come From? Does it grow on trees? - Facts About Chocolate Chocolate University 57 Comments Where does chocolate come from? Actually, it DOES grow on trees. It all starts with a small tropical tree, the Theobroma cacao, usually called simply, “cacao.” (Pronounced ka-KOW. Theobroma is Greek for “food of the gods.”) Cacao is native to Central and South America, but it is grown commercially throughout the tropics. About 70% of the world’s cacao is grown in Africa. A cacao tree can produce close to two thousand pods per year.

The ridged, football shaped pod, or fruit, of the cacao grows from the branches and, oddly, straight out of the trunk. The pods, which mature throughout the year, encase a sticky white pulp and about 30 or 40 seeds. The pulp is both sweet and tart; it is eaten and used in making drinks. The seeds, were you to bite into one straight out of the pod, are incredibly bitter. Not at all like the chocolate that comes from them. It’s actually a perfect design. The fruit attracts forest animals, like monkeys, who eat the fruit but cast the seeds aside, dispersing them and allowing new trees to sprout up. (One of my favorite memories of a recent trip to Costa Rica was watching monkeys eating in a “chocolate” tree.) It’s hard to imagine why humans ever thought to do anything with the seeds. What is it that we do with these seeds, which we call beans, to answer the question “Where does chocolate come from?” First, the pods must be harvested, which is usually done twice a year.

Because the trees are too fragile to climb, harvesting is accomplished by workers on the ground, who wield either a machete or a long pole with a machete on the end. Then, workers open the pods by hand, taking care not to damage the beans inside. Next comes one of the most important steps in the process – fermentation. The beans, still sticky with pulp, are placed in earthen pits or wooden bins and covered with banana leaves, then left to ferment. The heat of fermentation changes the bitter flavors in the beans into something more edible, more chocolatey. The sugars in the bean turn into acids, the color changes from pale to dark brown, and the pulp residue melts away. The length of the fermentation process depends on the type of bean; the higher quality beans may need only a few days, where others may need a week or more. After fermentation, the beans are dried in the sun for about a week. The flavor continues to develop during this time. Some manufacturers try to speed this process along by drying the beans over a fire, which gives them a smoky, inferior flavor. Once the beans are dry, they are ready to be shipped to a factory, where they are turned into chocolate.

Theobroma cacao - Plant Finder Plant Finder Native Range: Central & South America Zone: 11 to 12 Height: 20.00 to 30.00 feet Spread: 20.00 to 30.00 feet Bloom Time: Seasonal bloomer Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium Garden locations Culture Winter hardy to USDA Zones 11-12 where it is best grown in fertile, organically rich, consistently moist but well-drained soils in full sun to light shade. Site in protected locations. Plants dislike temperatures below 40 degrees F., and are totally intolerant of frost. Plants are tropical evergreen trees that love humid tropical climates. They may be grown in greenhouses in cool climates, but are very difficult to grow as houseplants. Noteworthy Characteristics Theobroma cacao is a small, wide-branching, evergreen tree that is native to tropical rainforest areas of Central and South America. It typically grows in the wild to 20-30' tall with glossy, oblong, drooping, bright green leaves (4-8" long).

Seeds from this tree are the source of cocoa, cocoa butter and chocolate. Small, fragrant, pink flowers borne directly on the trunk and branches (cauliflorous) bloom throughout the year. Flowers are followed by large, 10- ribbed seed pods (to 12" long and 3" diameter) that ripen to green, red, yellow or yellow-brown. Each pod contains an edible, mucilaginous, sweet-sour, creamy-white pulp embedded with 20-50 flat seeds (often called beans). Seeds are removed, fermented for several days to eliminate their astringent qualities, dried in the sun, cured and roasted. Seeds are then cracked to separate the kernels/nibs from the shell. Fat extracted from the nibs is called cocoa butter which is used in soaps, cosmetics and certain medicinal preparations. The residue is ground to a powder (cocoa) which is used for beverages and flavoring. Chocolate is a food substance in which the cocoa butter is retained. Seeds contain the alkaloid theobromine (from the genus name) that is a nerve stimulant similar to caffeine.

Trees were cultivated in Mexico, Central America and South America long before the discovery of America, with the seeds being used not only for food but also as a monetary currency. Although Christopher Columbus brought cacao seeds back to Europe in 1502 at the end of his fourth voyage, cacao did not catch on in Europe for a number of years. The name of chocolate comes from the Aztec word xocolatl which means bitter water. Aztecs in Mexico consumed a bitter drink made from the seeds. Cortez sampled the Aztec beverage and sent the seeds back to Spain in 1520. Genus name comes from the Greek words theo (god) and brosi (food) in apparent honor of cacao as the "food of the gods". Theobroma cacao is now grown throughout the world in humid lowland tropical areas. Problems No serious insect or disease problems. In tropical areas, trees are susceptible to a variety of insect pests (including mirids, cocoa pod borer and stem borers) and disease pests (including anthracnose, black pod, witches broom, frosty pod rot, swollen shoot, vascular streak dieback and canker).

Garden Uses Cacao, Theobroma cacao, plant facts - Eden Project Play video Facts Once the flowers have been pollinated they produce large pods containing cacao (or ‘cocoa’) beans. When crushed the beans yield cocoa mass, the basis of chocolate. Cocoa trees originate from South America's rainforests but today most of our cocoa is grown by about 2.5 million farmers, mainly on smallholdings in West Africa. The UK chocolate industry supports schemes such as Fairtrade, improving livelihoods and protecting locals from global price fluctuations. Fairtrade also gives a premium that can be reinvested in business, social and environmental schemes. Scientists are crossing West African cocoa trees with their wild South American ancestors to create disease-resistant trees, which will lead to fewer chemicals being used and less planting on new land. Where it grows Native to lowland tropical America but now widely cultivated in West Africa. Requires a shady location, humid climate with regular rainfall and good soil. Common uses Today chocolate is the 'sweet snack of the people' but many years ago, as a part of their rituals, Mayan and Aztec nobles drank their cocoa beans ground and brewed with chillies.

This is where the Latin name Theobroma cacao, meaning 'food of the gods', comes from. When it first arrived in Spain in the 16th century some didn’t like it, one even proclaiming it ‘fit for pigs’. Sugar was added and it grew in popularity especially with the ladies of the Spanish court. Chocolate became a European luxury, with chocolate houses frequented by the elite springing up in the capital cities. Debates centred around its medical value, and whether it was it an aphrodisiac. Chocolate went on to be used as emergency rations for armies, navies and rescue teams, and eventually became a ‘luxury’ that everyone could enjoy. Useful links Theobroma cacao - Cacao, red fruited - Seeds $4.50 Product Description 2 seeds per pack. Seeds are from red fruited types. The cacao tree is the source of the famous and delicious cocoa bean (the source of chocolate). This small tropical tree rarely exceeds 10-15ft in height and bears large fruits with edible white pulp that inside contain the cocoa beans. Trees need tropical conditions with high humidity and cannot survive temperatures below 50F for long periods of time.

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Question: What comes from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree?
Answer: Chocolate