Cocoa Tree
Theobroma cacao
Kakaokbaum
Classification: Malvaceae
Distribution: Amazonas up to Mexico
Growing height: up to 12 m
Uses: fruit (seed for chocolate, cocoa butter)
The Cocoa Tree is a small tree with dense foliage. The small white flowers grow directly from the trunk (cauliflorous). The fruit are up to 30 centimeters long with a shape like a cucumber and also grow directly from at the trunk. The fruit contains many seeds rich in lipids and proteins. When dried and fermented they lose the bitter flavor and the typical aroma of cocoa is developing.
The Maya already cultivated cocoa centuries ago. The seeds were probably used as means of payment. In this house you may additionally find the closely related cupuaçu (Theobroma grandiflora).
