Cacao is a small rainforest tree from the upper Amazon whose fermented and roasted seeds become cocoa and chocolate. Its pods grow straight from the trunk and main branches. In India cacao is grown mostly as an intercrop under coconut and arecanut palms in Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Most of the world’s cocoa comes from Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.
- Botanical name
- Theobroma cacao L.
- Family
- Malvaceae
- Tamil
- Cocoa
- Hindi
- Cocoa
- Parts used
- Seed after fermenting and roasting
- Habit
- Cacao; the fermented seed is food, not a children’s binge of raw beans
- Last updated
- 2026-10-27
How to recognise Cocoa
It is a small evergreen tree, usually four to eight metres tall, that grows in shade under taller trees.
The leaves are large, glossy and drooping, and new leaves come out soft and pink or red.
Tiny pink and white flowers grow in clusters directly on the trunk and older branches, a habit called cauliflory.
The pods are ridged and oval, fifteen to thirty centimetres long, turning yellow, orange or red when ripe.
Each pod holds twenty to fifty purple or pale seeds in a sweet, white, sticky pulp.
Traditional use of Cocoa
Kitchen
The Maya and Aztecs drank cacao as a frothy, bitter drink with chilli and maize, and used the beans as money.
Mesoamerican food history
Processing
Beans are heaped or boxed with their pulp to ferment for about a week, then sun-dried, roasted and ground into cocoa mass.
Cocoa farm practice
Kitchen
The sweet white pulp around the beans is sucked fresh or made into juice in growing regions.
Tropical food practice
Modern notes on Cocoa
Residues on pottery in Ecuador show cacao was used more than five thousand years ago.
Cocoa contains theobromine and some caffeine, which give chocolate its mild stimulant effect.
Cocoa flavanols have been studied for blood vessel and blood pressure effects, but most chocolate bars are high in sugar and fat.
Some dark chocolates contain notable cadmium or lead, which comes from soil and handling.
Cocoa safety
Chocolate is toxic to dogs and cats because they clear theobromine slowly, so keep it away from pets. Eat chocolate in modest amounts because of its sugar and calories.
Ecology and sourcing
The flowers are pollinated mainly by tiny biting midges that breed in rotting leaves under the trees.
Only a small share of flowers become pods.
Shade-grown cacao can shelter many birds and insects, while full-sun plantations replace forest.
Related plants
Also in Malvaceae
Questions about Cocoa
Is cocoa grown in India?
Yes, mainly under coconut and arecanut in South India.
Why do the pods grow on the trunk?
Cacao flowers form directly on old wood.
What does Theobroma mean?
Food of the gods, a name chosen by Linnaeus.
Can raw cacao beans be eaten?
They are bitter; the flavour comes from fermenting and roasting.
Why is chocolate bad for dogs?
Dogs break down theobromine very slowly.
Sources
- Theobroma cacao L. — Plants of the World Online, Kew (search) (accessed 2026)
- Wikidata item Q42385 (Theobroma cacao)
Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.