Plants

cocoa

Theobroma cacao L.

Family: Malvaceae · Genus: Theobroma

cacao tree

Secondary I Low No biomass production

cocoa — USAID Digital Development · CC BY · Wikimedia Commons

Low-stratum fruit tree shaded by bananas, ingás and palms in the Bahia syntropic systems pioneered by Götsch.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage: Secondary I
Ecological role: Late secondary
Primary stratum: Low
Strata: Low, Medium
Biomass class: No biomass production

Environment

Light requirement: Partial shade
Water requirement: High
Drought tolerance: Low
Waterlogging tolerance: Low
Soil pH range: 5–7
Preferred soil texture: Loamy, Clayey
Hardiness zones: 11–13
Frost tolerance: 10.0 °C

Morphology

Mature height: 4–8 m
Recommended spacing: 3–5 m
Root system: Taproot
Root depth: Medium
Growth rate: Moderate
Lifespan: 40–100 years
Time to first harvest: 60 months
Productive lifespan: 40 years

Biomes & climate

Amazon Native
Atlantic Forest Suitable

Köppen classes

Tropical rainforest (Af) Suitable
Tropical monsoon (Am) Suitable

Where it fits in a guild

Cocoa takes the Low stratum in the Secondary I phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time.

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🪴 Cultivation

An understorey plant needing partial shade (it performs even in dense shade) and well-distributed rainfall (1,500–2,000 mm/yr), with no drought tolerance. Deep, fertile, well-drained acid soil (pH 5–6.5). Sensitive taproot (0.8–2 m) that dislikes late transplanting; recalcitrant seeds lose viability within 5–7 days.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: October, November, December, January, February, March, April

Fruiting months: April, May, June, July, August, September

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of cocoa?

The first harvest of cocoa comes around 60 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for cocoa?

The recommended spacing for cocoa is 3–5 m.

How tall does cocoa grow?

At maturity, cocoa reaches 4–8 m tall.

When does cocoa fruit?

Fruiting of cocoa occurs in April, May, June, July, August, September.

When does cocoa flower?

Flowering of cocoa occurs in October, November, December, January, February, March, April.

What stage and stratum does cocoa occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, cocoa belongs to the secondary i stage, occupying the low stratum.

Functions

🍎 Fruit

Propagation

Seed, Grafting, Cutting, Air layering

Citations

Agenda Götsch — Fazenda Olhos D'Água case study (primary_stratum, light_need)
Useful Tropical Plants — Theobroma cacao (ph_min, ph_max, root_system, root_depth, water_need, drought_tolerance, soil_texture_preference, propagation, light_need, cultivation_notes)
PFAF Plant Database — Theobroma cacao (hardiness_zone_min, hardiness_zone_max, frost_tolerance_c, ph_min, ph_max, soil_texture_preference, waterlogging_tolerance)
Portal São Francisco — Cacau (floração e frutificação, Bahia) (phenology)