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Plants

criollo cacao

Theobroma cacao L.

Family: Malvaceae · Genus: Theobroma

fine cacao

Secondary II Medium No biomass production
USAID Digital Development · CC BY · Wikimedia Commons

Heirloom varietal group — Mesoamerican origin, red or yellow pods with white-to-pale-purple seeds. Delicate, low-bitterness flavor — the basis of the fine-cacao market. Short to medium height (4–6 m), open canopy. Highly susceptible to witches'-broom and Phytophthora — rarely planted pure in Brazil; kept in collections and shaded plots.

📚 Synonyms

Scientific synonyms: Theobroma cacao 'Criollo'

Götsch succession

Götsch stage
Secondary II
Ecological role
Late secondary
Primary stratum
Medium
Strata
Medium, Low
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
4–6 m
Recommended spacing
3–4 m
Root system
Taproot
Root depth
Medium
Growth rate
Moderate
Lifespan
30–60 years
Time to first harvest
48 months
Productive lifespan
30 years

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Criollo cacao takes the Medium stratum in the Secondary II 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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Emergent High Medium · ≈6 m Low Ground cover

🪴 Cultivation

Spacing 3×3 m in syntropic systems with dense shade (60–80%). Useful as a mother plant for grafting.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

Fruiting months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of criollo cacao?

The first harvest of criollo cacao comes around 48 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for criollo cacao?

The recommended spacing for criollo cacao is 3–4 m.

How tall does criollo cacao grow?

At maturity, criollo cacao reaches 4–6 m tall.

When does criollo cacao fruit?

Fruiting of criollo cacao occurs in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.

When does criollo cacao flower?

Flowering of criollo cacao occurs in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.

What stage and stratum does criollo cacao occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, criollo cacao belongs to the secondary ii stage, occupying the medium stratum.

Functions

🍎 Fruit 🍯 Melliferous

Propagation

Seed, Grafting

Citations

  1. Revista Agro Productividad — Biología floral de cacao Criollo, Trinitario y Forastero (height_min_m, height_max_m)
  2. Useful Tropical Plants — Theobroma cacao (ph_min, ph_max, root_system, root_depth, waterlogging_tolerance, soil_texture_preference)
  3. PFAF Plant Database — Theobroma cacao (hardiness_zone_min, hardiness_zone_max, frost_tolerance_c)

External references

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