Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Criollo, Forastero, Trinitario
Green Tomatillo, Purple Tomatillo
Number of Varieties
340
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland, Tropical rainforest, Tropical regions
Cultivated Beds
USDA Hardiness Zone
11-156-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12*1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Oval/Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Yellow, Sandy Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Gold, Burgundy, Dark Red
Green, Purple, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Dark Green, Pink, Copper
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green, Dark Green, Copper
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Broad, Unlobed
Lance shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Lots of watering
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth, Prune twice a year, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove all suckers, Remove wet foliage
Fertilizers
Ammonia sulphate, Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Borers, Insects, Phytophthora, Red blotch
Fungal Diseases
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds, Flea beetles
Allergy
Diabetes, Diarrhea
Arthritis, Inflammation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Anti-oxidant, Antioxidants, Asthma, Cancer, Cardiovascular problems, constipation, High cholestrol, Wounds
Cancer, Diabetes, Energy, Opthalmic
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds
Fruits
Other Uses
Employed in herbal medicine, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in making beverages
Used for making green salsas and chilli sauce, Used in salads
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
THEOBROMA cacao
PHYSALIS philadelphica
Common Name
Cacao, Chocolate, Cocoa
Green Tomato, Mexican Groundcherry, Tomatillo
In Hindi
कोको संयंत्र
Tomatillos
In German
Kakaopflanze
Tomatillos
In French
usine de cacao
Tomatilles
In Spanish
planta del cacao
Tomatillos
In Greek
φυτό του κακάο
Tomatillos
In Portuguese
planta do cacau
Tomatillos
In Polish
Kakao roślin
Tomatillos
In Latin
Cocos herba
Tomatillos
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Malvales
Solanales
Family
Sterculiaceae
Solanaceae
Genus
Theobroma
Physalis
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Theobromeae
Physaleae
Subfamily
Byttneroideae
Solanoideae
Number of Species
2275
1
27800
👆🏻