The tree behind one of our favourite sweet treats! Did you know we have a cacao tree growing in the Hartley and Heather Richardson Tropical Biome at The Leaf?
Basics: The cacao tree produces large pods called cocoa beans, used to make items such as cocoa powder, cocoa butter, and chocolate! There are three kinds of cocoa plants: Forastero, Criollo, and Trinitario. Cacao trees can live up to 100 years!
Habitat: The cacao tree is native to lowland rainforests of the Amazon and Orinoco river basins. It is grown commercially in western Africa, tropical Asia, and the New World tropics. The tree grows best in humid, tropical rainforests, so it thrives here at The Leaf. Cacao trees can grow to be between 6-12 metres tall!
Using the Plant: The beans are very bitter when harvested and must be fermented to develop the delicious flavour we know as chocolate. Cacao tree seeds are the main ingredient in chocolate, but the pulp is used in some countries to make creams, smoothies, and juices!
Fun Facts:
- The cacao tree can take up to four years to produce pods! Trees can produce as many as 70 pods per year, ranging in colour from yellow to deep purple. The pods can take up to six months to ripen.
- Cacao trees in the wild are often planted near banana, palm, and rubber trees to protect the young trees from the shade and wind.
- The tree's flowers can be either foul-smelling or odourless.
- Christopher Columbus brought the first cacao pods to Europe in the early 1500s!
Learn more about the process of harvesting cacao pods here!
Come see our cacao tree for yourself at The Leaf, open 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily!
