Hortiforum

General Info – Cacao, Cocoa

Cultivating Cacao offers gardeners the exciting opportunity to produce their own Cocoa beans and make their own, unique form of Chocolate.
Cacao pods have a distinct form, characterised by a cylindrical, ridged shape and a bright yellow colour when mature. Inside each pod is a compact mass of beans and pulp that easily separates from the protective shell. Cocoa trees have been cultivated for millennia, with their beans widely consumed throughout Mesoamerica, at times serving as a form of currency. Cocoa beans are processed by fermenting them in their own pulp, followed by drying and storing them in a cool, dry location. Once processed, Cocoa beans are processed into two main products: Cocoa butter, which is the fat extracted from the beans and comprises nearly 50% of their content, and Cocoa solids, the non-fat component commonly sold as Cocoa powder.
Cocoa beans are now almost inextricably linked to their most common end product, the beloved Chocolate. Cacao products are variably present in all three main forms. Dark chocolate contains Cocoa solids, Cocoa butter, and sugar; milk chocolate includes Cocoa solids, Cocoa butter, milk, and sugar; and white chocolate contains Cocoa butter, milk, and sugar, with no Cocoa solids. The culinary uses of Cocoa beans, whether as Cocoa butter, Cocoa solids, or an end product like chocolate, are vast and offer an exciting opportunity to create at home a unique, special product of a much loved food (similar to cultivating Tea and Coffee at home). The translucent pulp surrounding the seeds is also edible, with a tangy and refreshing tropical flavour reminiscent of Pineapple, making it perfect for adding to juices and smoothies. The Theobroma genus, which includes Cacao, also contains other edible and interesting fruit trees such as Mocambo and Cupuassu.
Cacao is native to the tropics of the Americas but is now commercially cultivated in various tropical regions around the world, predominantly in the Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Indonesia. These trees thrive in tropical climates with abundant rainfall (over 1500mm), consistently warm temperatures, and high humidity. They prefer fertile, well-draining loam soil that is slightly acidic to neutral. Young cacao plants benefit from some protective shade, similar to a natural canopy, but mature trees enjoy full sun. While Cacao can be grown in warm subtropical climates, it is essential to provide a sheltered position and the ideal soil conditions mentioned above.
Cacao trees typically grow up to 10 metres tall, but they are best kept pruned to a more manageable height for easier harvesting. They have leathery, ovate leaves that can reach up to 60 cm in length. New growth transitions attractively from pinkish-red to pale gold, finally maturing to dark green. Cacao trees have a cauliflorous fruiting habit, with flowers and fruits borne along the stem and main branches. The yellowish-white flowers, often hidden behind the canopy, are small but beautifully intricate and quite fragrant.
A charming specimen for a tropical garden that produces colourful pods with innumerous uses.

Plant Profile/Properties