Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Central America, Mexico, North America
Types
Criollo, Forastero, Trinitario
Neck, Really Big Hybrid, Waltham
Number of Varieties
35
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland, Tropical rainforest, Tropical regions
Cultivated Beds
USDA Hardiness Zone
11-159-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
A1, A2, 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
Prostrate/Trailing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm7.62 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm50.80 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Yellow, Gold
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Gold, Burgundy, Dark Red
Peach, Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Dark Green, Pink, Copper
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green, Dark Green, Copper
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Broad, Unlobed
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Summer, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season
Prefer drip-irrigation instead of Over-head watering, 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
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
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
Cut out old flower stalks, Prune after flowering, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove the old foliage
Fertilizers
Ammonia sulphate, Nitrogen
Apply 10-10-10 amount, Balanced organic fertilizer, iron-rich fertilizer, Nitrogen, Phosphate
Pests and Diseases
Borers, Insects, Phytophthora, Red blotch
Bacteria wilt, Bacterial leaf spot, Blight, Cucumber beetles, Cutworms, Dry root rot, Fusarium leaf spot, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Shade areas, Wet Site
Full Sun, Shade areas, Shallow soil
Flowers
Showy
Showy
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
-
Ants, Bees
Allergy
Diabetes, Diarrhea
Dermatitis
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Glowing Skin, Good for skin and hair
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Anti-oxidant, Antioxidants, Asthma, Cancer, Cardiovascular problems, constipation, High cholestrol, Wounds
Antiasthamatic, anti-cancer, Cardiovascular problems, cholesterol-lowering, constipation, Diabetes, Fiber, High blood pressure, High cholestrol, Immunity, Manganese, Obesity, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds
Flowers, Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Employed in herbal medicine, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in making beverages
For making oil, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
THEOBROMA cacao
CUCURBITA pepo 'White Crown of Thorns'
Common Name
Cacao, Chocolate, Cocoa
Winter Squash
In Hindi
कोको संयंत्र
कोंहड़ा
In German
Kakaopflanze
Winter squash
In French
usine de cacao
courges d'hiver
In Spanish
planta del cacao
calabaza de invierno
In Greek
φυτό του κακάο
σκουός χειμώνα
In Portuguese
planta do cacau
abóbora
In Polish
Kakao roślin
dynia
In Latin
Cocos herba
cucurbita
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Malvales
Violales
Family
Sterculiaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Theobroma
Cucurbita
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Theobromeae
-
Subfamily
Byttneroideae
Papilionoideae
Number of Species
2227
1
27800
👆🏻