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Other Names: Cocoa, Cacao, Cacau, Coco
Related To:
[Sterculiaceae] Cupuassu, Mocambo, Cola Nut
Main Uses:
Fruit and seeds, which are the basic source of all chocolate.
Growth Rate:
Moderate.
Mature Height/Spread:
Small tree up to 25 feet.
Flowering/Pollination:
Cauliflorous. Flowers have long stalks with tiny flower heads. Cacao is about 90% self-sterile, necessitating more than one tree for good pollination. However, single trees will produce fruit sporadically.
Tolerance:
Can tolerate some dry topsoil provided the air is humid. Thrives in 70% humidity. Species has little tolerance for salt.
Soil/Nutrition:
Rich, acidic, moist and moderately drained.
Light:
Thrives in dappled shade, or filtered sunlight. Can be adapted to receive more sun, but always prefers shelter from direct light. In nature, this is a forest understory tree.
Wind:
Delicate, certainly needs a sheltered location. Some sensitive varieties of cacao can even be killed by the temperature variance of strong winds.
Temperature:
Tropical, but can withstand very brief drops into the upper 40's, though this depends on the hardiness and variety of the tree. Cacao will suffer and eventually die with prolonged temperatures in the 50's. Temps must be maintained average above 70 degrees for the tree to thrive.
Dangers:
No dangers posed to humans. Dogs and cats should never eat chocolate, as the alkaloid theobromine is potentially cardiotoxic to them.
Diseases Prone:
Mealybugs, scale, fungi, leaf drying (due to insufficient humidity).
Bearing Age:
Seedlings can reach bearing age in 4 years in ideal circumstances.
Fruit:
Oblong, round, ridged melon-like seed pods containing many dozen seeds. Resembles an elongated acorn squash. Pods ripen in a small spectrum of colors from yellow to orange to reddish-purple and also vary somewhat in size and shape. The white slippery flesh membranes surrounding seeds are edible, tasting similar to artificial banana flavoring. Seeds are considered edible in all forms. Pods take 5-6 months to develop from pollination.
History/Origin:
To make processed "cocoa beans," the pods are harvested and hacked open with a machete. The seeds are fermented in their surrounding flesh for about a week to develop flavor and then roasted. These cocoa beans are the basis of commercial chocolate. Seeds are also fermented then dried and used raw, which are called cacao "nibs." Parts of the tree are also used medicinally.
There is some evidence of Cacao being first used by the Olmec civilization. It is known that cacao was cultivated and highly regarded by the Mayans and Aztecs. In the time of Hernan Cortez the tree was considered divine, and the seeds were treated with immense respect, being used as a health-imbuing food and a currency. Many traditional recipes of cacao are still made today.
King Moctezuma is well known for his fated encounter with Hernando Cortez in 1519. Cortez observed the aging Moctezuma's legendary libido which arose out of a firey, bitter combination of ingredients combined in a coveted royal drink. One of these main ingredients was powdered roasted chocolate (cocoa). Though the exact recipe for Moctezuma's aphrodisiac drink was forgotten during the crusades, some of the other ingredients included damiana (a strong aphrodisiac plant) and hot chili peppers. It is estimated that Moctezuma consumed nearly two gallons of this drink daily. He had nearly 200 wives.
Species Observations:
Leaves begin to dry out if humidity is inadequate -- first the older foliage, then the younger. New leaves are salmon-pink and emerge in a languid, droopy manner. Small, new leaves grow and expand into large ones quickly. Due to the tree's love of humidity, the trunk is typically splotched with parasitic but typically harmless fungus and/or algae.
The taste of any specific cacao bean is often considered by the growers and chocolate enthusiasts to be a culmination of many different environmental elements. Cacao is a sensitive species, so changes in soil, air, and sun will affect the flavor of the beans produced. Only a few areas of the world produce what are considered the best of chocolate for their ideal climate.
Mulching with compost improves fruit yield, as does weeding beneath the tree.
Propogation:
The smooth brown or amethyst-colored fresh seeds, if gently removed from the white flesh within a few days of the pod's harvest, will germinate very easily with a little warmth. One can also layer branches of a preferred variety. The seedlings prefer solid shade for the first year of their lives, after which they can be allowed some dappled sunlight.
Container Culture:
It is sometimes said that cacao is difficult to grow in captivity, however this has not been my experience aside from a little drying of the leaves due to insufficient humidity. Growing cacao indoors would be relatively easy for anyone with an isolated plant room or a greenhouse. The tree simply has a few basic needs which have to be met, the most crucial being humidity and temperature. Cacao needs humidity, preferably above 70% at all times. It also needs temperatures around 70-80 degrees. Keep it watered (but not waterlogged) and you will likely have a vigorous, healthy plant. If it is your aim to grow cacao fruits indoors, you will need at least two plants to accomplish this, as cacao is largely self-sterile.
Medicinal Uses:
The raw, dried seeds are considered an aphrodisiac. Chocolate is known to promote positive thinking and feelings of love for its unique chemical and nutritive composition which promotes healthy brain activity.
Cacao leaves have found a few medicinal uses. Infusions of the leaves are used as a cardiotonic and diuretic. Cacao fats (butters) have been used in many skin care products and are a main ingredient in many suppositories (a suprisingly little known fact...).
Nutritional Information:
Chocolate has many health benefits in any form. The widespread candy chocolates of commerce are, unfortunately, the least healthy form. Cocoa powder is perhaps the most healthy form of processed chocolate, being low in fat and high in antioxidants, and having many essential minerals. Cacao nibs, the raw form of cacao, are uncooked, unprocessed and most truly preserve the significant nutritional integrity of the seed. Raw cacao has a robust, rich and extensive chocolate taste which many people find delightful.
Chocolate is perhaps the highest widespread food source of the mineral magnesium, a mineral crucial to muscle and nervous system function. The seeds are also quite high in copper, sulfur, and vitamin C. Cacao's mildly euphoric properties have been linked to the presence of theobromine and small amounts of phenethylamine, isoquinoline, and anandamide, which has been found to bind to the same neuroreceptors as THC, the active constituent of marijuana.
Preparation / Food:
Cacao is eaten in so many different ways it is difficult to list them all. Candy chocolates are known and beloved worldwide. Chocolate ice creams, cookies, and cakes are also quite common.
Raw cacao has been getting a lot of attention in health food circles. Some people grind raw cacao and use it just like cocoa powder. It has a robust, bitter chocolate taste. Other people grind the beans with their coffee and make a truly outstanding mocha.
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"Tree is in fine shape and budding! Packing was exceptional. Thank you so much!"
- Satisfied Customer 1
"WOW, Plant is 10X better than expected. Great condition. Thank you very much."
- Satisfied Customer 2
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