Theobroma cacao

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  • Herbarium No: UPH NO. V--716
  • Theobroma cacao
  • L.
  • Botanical Name/Scientific Name: Theobroma cacao
  • Genus: Theobroma
  • Synonym: Theobroma kalagua De Wild.
  • Common/Local Name(s): Cocoa
  • Family: Sterculiaceae
  • Botanical Description: Theobroma cacao is a small to medium-sized evergreen tree, typically growing 4 to 8 meters (13 to 26 feet) tall in cultivation, although it can reach up to 15 meters (about 49 feet) in the wild. The tree has a somewhat irregular shape, often with multiple trunks. The leaves of the cocoa tree are large, leathery, and glossy, ranging from 20 to 40 cm (8 to 16 inches) in length. They are dark green, elliptical, and have a smooth margin. Young leaves may appear red or purple before turning green as they mature. Cocoa flowers are small, pale pink to white, and grow directly from the trunk and older branches in clusters—a phenomenon known as cauliflory. Each flower is quite complex, comprising a calyx with five sepals, a corolla with five reduced petals, and numerous stamens. The flowers are pollinated by tiny insects. The fruit of the cocoa tree is a large, elongated pod, measuring 15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 inches) in length. Each pod is typically brightly colored, ranging from yellow to orange and red to purple when ripe, depending on the variety. The pod's thick, leathery rind encloses 20 to 60 seeds, or cocoa beans, embedded in a sweet, mucilaginous pulp. The seeds, commonly known as cocoa beans, are the commercially valuable part of the plant. They are fermented and dried after extraction, then processed to produce cocoa butter, cocoa powder, and chocolate.
  • Flowering/Fruiting: Flowering occurs in May. The cocoa pods are typically ready for harvesting from October to December.
  • Plant Uses: Culinary Uses(Chocolate Production, Beverages & Baking and Cooking), Medicinal Uses(Antioxidant Properties & Mood Enhancement) and Cosmetic Uses ( Skin Care & Hair Products).
  • Origin: Introduced
  • Locality: Isialangwa North Abia State.
  • Habit: Tree
  • Mode: Cultivated

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