Common Names: Cocoa Tree

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. The 8-12" long, yellow or red fruit has a white, mucilaginous, mildly sweet pulp which can be eaten and many flat seeds. The oil from the seeds is used in cosmetics and perfumes. Propagated by seed, cutting, air layering or grafting.