Accession Data

Theobroma cacao

Common Name: Cacao, Chocolate

Family: Malvaceae

Country of Origin: Central & South America

Description: This small evergreen from Central America is grown throughout the wet, lowland tropics under the shade of taller trees and is the source of commercial cocoa and chocolate. Flowers are borne on the trunk, a good example of cauliflory. The 8-12" long, yellow or red fruit has a white, mucilaginous, mildly sweet pulp which can be eaten and many flat seeds.

Uses: The source of commercial cocoa and chocolate. The oil from the seeds is used in cosmetics and perfumes.

Accession Data

USDA Zone: 11-12

Accession #: 200300150

Accession Date: 2003-04-25 00:00:00

Bloom Status: 🪴 Not Flowering

Location: 1302

Quantity: 2

Source: Jodi Bjork - UMM

Culture: Propagated by seed, cutting, air layering or grafting.

Classification

Division: Magnoliophyta

Class: Magnoliopsida

Subclass: eurosid II

Order: Malvales

Family: Malvaceae

SubFamily: Byttneroideae

Tribe: Theobromeae

Flowering Data:

This accession has been observed in bloom on:
Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005

References

  1. California Rare Fruit Growers WWW Site
  2. The Plant List (2013). Version 1.1. Last accessed on Thursday, October 20, 2016.
  3. Theobroma cacao at Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Last accessed on Thursday, October 20, 2016.
  4. Images #00 (cropped) and #05 (original) by Luisovalles (Own work) [GFDL or CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons. Last accessed on Friday, July 21, 2017.

Images

Theobroma cacao
Theobroma cacao Theobroma cacao