Theobroma cacao (cocoa tree) Forastero

Everyone knows the processed end product of the cocoa tree, chocolate, and very few people dislike it.

Most people, however, have never actually seen a cacao plant in its natural habitat. The cacao tree is a typical understory tree of the rainforest. It grows to a maximum height of about 10 meters, but usually remains smaller, around 5 meters, when shaded by taller trees. On cacao plantations, it is pruned to a height of 3-4 meters to facilitate harvesting the fruit. The tree has large, oblong leaves that feel like parchment and remain green year-round. The cacao tree produces new leaves several times a year. These are initially pale and droopy. They only turn green and stand upright once they are fully grown.

The fruits (cocoa pods) are also relatively unknown. They are large, yellow-brown berries when ripe, weighing up to about 500 grams. Fresh cacao seeds are encased in a very flavorful pulp (fruity, sweet, and slightly sour) called "mucilage de cacao." This pulp, however, is not what later becomes cacao powder. That consists of the fermented and dried seeds. Apart from the seed coat and the radicle, it is the cotyledons of the developing young plants that make up the majority of the cacao product.

Due to the heavy fruit, the cacao tree flowers on its trunk and thick branches, a phenomenon called cauliflory. Therefore, when it can flower and bear fruit for the first time depends not on the plant's height, but on the trunk diameter. The main trunk must have a diameter of approximately 5 cm before flowers can form for the first time. At this point, the plants are usually about 2.5 m tall and can be pruned for the first time. With proper care, a seedling reaches these dimensions after about 2 to 4 years.

Traditionally, cocoa is classified into three varieties: Criollo, Forastero, and Trinitario.
The most prized, but also the most delicate variety to cultivate, is Criollo. Forastero is high-yielding and robust, therefore particularly popular with farmers. Trinitario is a hybrid variety.
However, the varieties can be easily hybridized, which in practice leads to a significantly higher number of varieties with subtle differences.
Our cocoa plants belong to the Forastero type.