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Trees

Theobroma cacao

cocoa

A small, semi-evergreen to evergreen tree, which grows up to 8 metres in its native habitat, but much shorter in cooler climates. The long, oval foliage is dark green and lush with prominent dark veining. Clusters of white flowers with a pink calyx emerge directly from the trunk or branches on trees that are 3 to 4 years old. The fruit is large and ovoid, ripening from yellow to orange, with the seeds or 'beans' being the main ingredient of chocolate. It will take around 5 years for trees to begin fruiting. Although Cacao trees can live for up to 100 years, they generally only fruit for half of their lifetime, with the peak fruiting age at around 10 years old

Other common names

cacao
cacao butter tree
see morechocolate nut tree
cocoa tree

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Ultimate height

4–8 metres

Time to ultimate height

10–20 years

Ultimate spread

4–8 metres

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

H1A

Botanical details

Family: Malvaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen or Semi evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Name status: Correct
Plant range: C & S America

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in well-drained, slightly acidic soil, incorporating well-rotted organic matter. Feed with a balanced fertiliser every couple of weeks during the growing season. Not easy to grow in the UK as it requires consistent warmth and high humidity to thrive, so best grown in a heated greenhouse with a temperature of between 18-32°C 12°C (65-90°F). Protect from cold temperatures below 12°C (54°F)

Propagation

Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings or grafting. It is possible to propagate by seed, but plants may not come true to seed and may vary in traits

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Sub-tropical
Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

For container-grown trees, prune once or twice a year, taking out the top of the plant to maintain height. Remove dead or dying branches during the growing season

Pests

May be susceptible to mealybugs and capsid bug, aphids, scale insects, red spider mite and fungus gnats

Diseases

May be susceptible to fungus diseases, including phytophthora

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