UCONN UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT

Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Plant Biodiversity Conservatory and Research Core

  • Collections
  • Teaching
  • Research
  • Outreach
  • Visiting
  • Staff
  • IPM Info
  • Support the Greenhouse

Accession Data:

Theobroma cacao L.

  • sect. Theobroma

  • Common Name: Cacao, Chocolate
  • Family: Malvaceae Juss.

  • Country of Origin: Central & South America
  • Habitat: understory plant in wet, lowland tropics

  • Description: This small evergreen from Central America is grown throughout the wet, lowland tropics under the shade of taller trees and is the source of commercial cocoa and chocolate. Flowers are borne on the trunk, a good example of cauliflory. The 8-12" long, yellow or red fruit has a white, mucilaginous, mildly sweet pulp which can be eaten and many flat seeds.
  • Uses: The source of commercial cocoa and chocolate. The oil from the seeds is used in cosmetics and perfumes.
  • Culture: Propagated by seed, cutting, air layering or grafting.
  • USDA Zone: 11-12

Accession Data:

  • Accession # 200300150
  • Source: Jodi Bjork - UMM
  • Accession Date: 04-25-2003
  • Bench: 1302 - NEOA: North Bench E
    • Currently: active - healthy
    • Qty: 2 confirmed on 10-08-2024

Classification:

  • Division: Magnoliophyta
  • Class: Magnoliopsida
  • SubClass: eurosid II
  • Order: Malvales
  • SubOrder:
  • Family: Malvaceae
  • SubFamily: Byttneroideae
  • Tribe: Theobromeae
  • SubTribe:

Flowering Data:

This accession has been observed in bloom on:
YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005

References (internal):

  • Fly pollination (myophily and sapromyophily)
  • Edible Plants
  • Plants with Edible Fruits
  • Cauliflory
  • Type Species
  • EEB 3271 - Systematic Botany
  • EEB 3203 - Developmental Plant Morphology
  • EEB Greenhouse Holdings native to: Mexico Southwest / Belize / Costa Rica / Nicaragua / Panama / Venezuela / Colombia / Ecuador

References (external):

  1. California Rare Fruit Growers WWW Site
  2. The Plant List (2013). Version 1.1. Last accessed on Thursday, October 20, 2016.
  3. Theobroma cacao at Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Last accessed on Thursday, October 20, 2016.
  4. Images #00 (cropped) and #05 (original) by Luisovalles (Own work) [GFDL or CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons. Last accessed on Friday, July 21, 2017.

data regenerated on Fri, 02 May 2025 15:00:22 -0400 [bcm v4.0]

Images:

Theobroma cacao

Additional images for this accession:

Click on thumbnails to enlarge

Current Accessions in the Malvaceae

Subfamily Bombacoideae
Tribe Adansonieae

  • Adansonia digitata
  • Adansonia grandidieri
  • Adansonia za
  • Ceiba acuminata
  • Ceiba pentandra
  • Ceiba speciosa
  • Pachira aquatica
  • Pachira aquatica
  • Pachira glabra
  • Pseudobombax ellipticum

Subfamily Byttneroideae
Tribe Hermannieae

  • Hermannia verticillata

Subfamily Byttneroideae
Tribe Theobromeae

  • Theobroma cacao
  • Theobroma cacao

Subfamily Dombeyoideae
Tribe Dombeyeae

  • Dombeya wallichii

Subfamily Grewioideae
Tribe Grewieae

  • Grewia occidentalis

Subfamily Grewioideae
Tribe Sparrmannieae

  • Sparmannia africana

Subfamily Malvoideae
Tribe Gossypieae

  • Gossypium arboreum
  • Gossypium barbadense
  • Gossypium darwinii
  • Thespesia populnea

Subfamily Malvoideae
Tribe Hibisceae

  • Hibiscus acetosella 'Haight Ashbury'
  • Hibiscus rosa-sinensis cv. (yellow)
  • Hibiscus tilliaceus
  • Lagunaria patersonia
  • Pavonia strictiflora

Subfamily Malvoideae
Tribe Malveae

  • Abutilon hybridum
  • Malvaviscus arboreus var. mexicanus

Subfamily Sterculioideae
Tribe Sterculieae

  • Brachychiton rupestris
  • Cola acuminata
  • Cola nitida
W/C = Wild Collected
= indicates flowering in past 14 days
= images available for this accession
= map available for this accession
= accession added within past 90 days
  • © University of Connecticut
  • Disclaimers, Privacy & Copyright