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|sun_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia

|sun_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia

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|flower_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia

|flower_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia

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'''''Theobroma cacao''''' ([[Mayan languages|Mayan]]: ''kakaw'', [[Nahuatl]]: ''Cacahuatl''), also '''cacao tree''' and '''cocoa tree''', is a small (4–8 m or 15–26 ft tall) [[evergreen]] [[tree]] in the family [[Sterculiaceae]] (alternatively [[Malvaceae]]), native to the deep [[tropical]] region of the Americas. Its seeds are used to make [[cocoa powder]] and [[chocolate]].

'''''Theobroma cacao''''' ([[Mayan languages|Mayan]]: ''kakaw'', [[Nahuatl]]: ''Cacahuatl''), also '''cacao tree''' and '''cocoa tree''', is a small (4–8 m or 15–26 ft tall) [[evergreen]] [[tree]] in the family [[Sterculiaceae]] (alternatively [[Malvaceae]]), native to the deep [[tropical]] region of the Americas. Its seeds are used to make [[cocoa powder]] and [[chocolate]].

The tree is today found growing wild in the low foothills of the [[Andes]] at elevations of around 200–400 m (650–1300 ft) in the [[Amazon River|Amazon]] and [[Orinoco]] [[river]] basins. It requires a humid climate with regular [[rainfall]] and good soil. It is an [[understory]] tree, growing best with some overhead shade. The [[leaf|leaves]] are alternate, entire, unlobed, 10–40 cm (4–16 in) long and 5–20 cm (2–8 in) broad. Poisonous and inedible, they are filled with a creamy, milky liquid and taste spicy and unpleasant.

The tree is today found growing wild in the low foothills of the [[Andes]] at elevations of around 200–400 m (650–1300 ft) in the [[Amazon River|Amazon]] and [[Orinoco]] [[river]] basins. It requires a humid climate with regular [[rainfall]] and good soil. It is an [[understory]] tree, growing best with some overhead shade. The [[leaf|leaves]] are alternate, entire, unlobed, 10–40 cm (4–16 in) long and 5–20 cm (2–8 in) broad. Poisonous and inedible, they are filled with a creamy, milky liquid and taste spicy and unpleasant.

The [[flower]]s are produced in clusters directly on the [[Trunk (botany)|trunk]] and older branches; they are small, 1–2&nbsp;cm (1/2–1 in) diameter, with pink calyx. While many of the world's flowers are pollinated by [[bees]] ([[Hymenoptera]]) or [[butterflies]]/[[moths]] ([[Lepidoptera]]), cacao flowers are pollinated by tiny flies, [[Forcipomyiinae|''Forcipomyia'']] [[midges]] in the order [[Diptera]].<ref>{{cite paper | author = Hernández B, J. | title = Insect pollination of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) in Costa Rica | publisher = University of Wisconsin | date = 1965 | url = http://orton.catie.ac.cr/cgi-bin/wxis.exe/?IsisScript=orton.xis&expresion=mfn=032019}}</ref> The [[fruit]], called a cacao pod, is ovoid, 15–30&nbsp;cm (6–12&nbsp;in) long and 8–10&nbsp;cm (3–4&nbsp;in) wide, ripening yellow to orange, and weighs about 500 g (1&nbsp;lb) when ripe. The pod contains 20 to 60 [[seed]]s, usually called "beans", embedded in a white pulp. Each seed contains a significant amount of fat (40–50% as [[cocoa butter]]). Their most noted active constituent is [[theobromine]], a compound similar to [[caffeine]].  

The [[flower]]s are produced in clusters directly on the [[Trunk (botany)|trunk]] and older branches; they are small, 1–2 cm (1/2–1 in) diameter, with pink calyx. While many of the world's flowers are pollinated by [[bees]] ([[Hymenoptera]]) or [[butterflies]]/[[moths]] ([[Lepidoptera]]), cacao flowers are pollinated by tiny flies, [[Forcipomyiinae|''Forcipomyia'']] [[midges]] in the order [[Diptera]].<ref>{{cite paper | author = Hernández B, J. | title = Insect pollination of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) in Costa Rica | publisher = University of Wisconsin | date = 1965 | url = http://orton.catie.ac.cr/cgi-bin/wxis.exe/?IsisScript=orton.xis&expresion=mfn=032019}}</ref> The [[fruit]], called a cacao pod, is ovoid, 15–30 cm (6–12 in) long and 8–10 cm (3–4 in) wide, ripening yellow to orange, and weighs about 500 g (1 lb) when ripe. The pod contains 20 to 60 [[seed]]s, usually called "beans", embedded in a white pulp. Each seed contains a significant amount of fat (40–50% as [[cocoa butter]]). Their most noted active constituent is [[theobromine]], a compound similar to [[caffeine]].  

A tree begins to bear when it is four or five years old. A mature tree may have 6,000 flowers in a year, yet only about 20 pods. About 300-600 seeds (10 pods) are required to produce 1&nbsp;kg (2.2&nbsp;lb) of [[cocoa paste]].  

A tree begins to bear when it is four or five years old. A mature tree may have 6,000 flowers in a year, yet only about 20 pods. About 300-600 seeds (10 pods) are required to produce 1 kg (2.2 lb) of [[cocoa paste]].  

==Cultivation==

==Cultivation==