Botanically, the ‘cacao’ refers to the tree and its fruit (pods and seeds). Cocoa describes the bulk commercial dried fermented beans, as well as the powder produced from the beans.
The tree can only be cultivated within fairly narrow limits of altitude, latitude and humidity. The cultivation of 75% of the world’s cocoa lies within eight degrees of either side of the equator, with exceptions in some areas to about 18 degrees north or south. The optimum growing temperature may fall to lower levels, but then lower yields and damage to the trees are likely.Rainfall is preferably between 1,500 and 2,000mm per year. Thus a hot, moist climate favors growth. Relative humidity under these conditions will be 70 to 80 percent during the day, increasing to the saturation point at night. Trees grow mostly in the lower altitudes and it is exceptional for them to flourish above 3,000 ft.
The cacao tree will grow to a height of 20 to 30 ft and requires some shade from larger forest trees. From the time the seedling reaches a height of 3 to 5 ft it throws out three to five fan branches, and later vertical “chupons” from points below “jorquettes” where branches fork. This pattern of growth is repeated until the height of maturity is reached.
The flowers are about half an inch in diameter and are formed in small groups on the trunks and flower main branches of the trees. They are bisexual, have no nectar or perfume, and the pollen is too sticky to be dispersed by the wind. It is found that the main agent of pollination is a small midge.Many flowers are produced but only a small number become pollinated and develop into pods. These pods mature in five to six months during which many wilt and drop off, and this constitutes a further thinning process.
The pod is botanically, a “drupe” and stains a length of 6 to 10 in, by 3 to 4 in. diameter. It normally contains twenty to forty seeds surrounded by a mucilaginous pulp when the pod is ripe. It is an unusual fact that the ripe pods do not open and scatter the seed, not do the pod drop off and rot, and the seeds have no dormancy when removed from the pod. In uncultivated areas the seed is spread by small mammals such as monkeys and squirrels, which open the pods, such off the sweet pulp, and spit out the seeds.The Cocoa Plant
