Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
North America, United States, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, Texas, Canada
Mexico, Central America
Types
-
Criollo, Forastero, Trinitario
Number of Varieties
253
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Wet lands
Lowland, Tropical rainforest, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-911-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
12-10
Sunset Zone
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2
Habit
Upright/Erect
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
300.00 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Yellow, Ivory
Gold, Burgundy, Dark Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Orange, Dark Green
Light Green, Dark Green, Pink, Copper
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Light Green, Dark Green, Copper
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Orange, Orange Red
Light Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Broad, Unlobed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
-
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune to stimulate growth, Prune twice a year, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Ammonia sulphate, Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
-
Borers, Insects, Phytophthora, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Shade areas, Wet Site
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
-
Allergy
Irritate the mucus membrane, Rash, Skin irritation
Diabetes, Diarrhea
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
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
Part of Plant Used
Sap
Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Used to make a black varnish for use in woodworking
Employed in herbal medicine, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in making beverages
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
-
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
TOXICODENDRON vernix
THEOBROMA cacao
Common Name
Poison Dogwood, Poison Elderberry, Poison Sumac, Swamp Sumac
Cacao, Chocolate, Cocoa
In Hindi
toxicodendron vernix
कोको संयंत्र
In German
toxicodendron vernix
Kakaopflanze
In French
TOXICODENDRON vernix
usine de cacao
In Spanish
vérnix TOXICODENDRON
planta del cacao
In Greek
Toxicodendron vernix
φυτό του κακάο
In Portuguese
TOXICODENDRON vernix
planta do cacau
In Polish
toxicodendron vernix
Kakao roślin
In Latin
Natrum vernix
Cocos herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Malvales
Family
Anacardiaceae
Sterculiaceae
Genus
Toxicodendron
Theobroma
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Theobromeae
Subfamily
-
Byttneroideae
Number of Species
3522
1
27800
👆🏻