Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Fruit, Shrub
Origin
Mexico, Central America
South America
Types
Criollo, Forastero, Trinitario
V. × heilbornii
Number of Varieties
30
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland, Tropical rainforest, Tropical regions
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
11-159-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
11-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
H1, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm150.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Gold, Burgundy, Dark Red
Green, Light Yellow, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Dark Green, Pink, Copper
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green, Dark Green, Copper
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Broad, Unlobed
Palmate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season
Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth, Prune twice a year, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove shoots
Fertilizers
Ammonia sulphate, Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Borers, Insects, Phytophthora, Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Shade areas, Wet Site
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
Diabetes, Diarrhea
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Anti-oxidant, Antioxidants, Asthma, Cancer, Cardiovascular problems, constipation, High cholestrol, Wounds
Digestive disorders
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds
Fruits
Other Uses
Employed in herbal medicine, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in making beverages
Used in making champagne
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
THEOBROMA cacao
VASCONCELLEA x heilbornii
Common Name
Cacao, Chocolate, Cocoa
Babaco, Mountain Papaya
In Hindi
कोको संयंत्र
Babaco
In German
Kakaopflanze
Babaco
In French
usine de cacao
Babaco
In Spanish
planta del cacao
Babaco
In Greek
φυτό του κακάο
Babaco
In Portuguese
planta do cacau
Babaco
In Polish
Kakao roślin
Babaco
In Latin
Cocos herba
Babaco
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Malvales
Brassicales
Family
Sterculiaceae
Caricaceae
Genus
Theobroma
Vasconcellea
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Theobromeae
-
Subfamily
Byttneroideae
-
Number of Species
221
1
27800
👆🏻