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Plants

forastero cacao

Theobroma cacao L.

Family: Malvaceae · Genus: Theobroma

amazonian cacao

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

Brazil's dominant cacao varietal group — yellow-green pods, purple-cotyledon seeds, robust but less aromatic flavor. Tall (6–12 m unpruned), vigorous, more disease-resistant than Criollo. History of witches'-broom (Moniliophthora perniciosa) devastation in 1990s Bahia drove a shift to tolerant clones.

📚 Synonyms

Scientific synonyms: Theobroma cacao 'Forastero'

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
6–12 m
Recommended spacing
3–4 m
Root system
Taproot
Root depth
Medium
Growth rate
Moderate
Lifespan
40–80 years
Time to first harvest
48 months
Productive lifespan
40 years

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Forastero 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 · ≈12 m Low Ground cover

🪴 Cultivation

Spacing 3×3 m in syntropic / cabruca systems with 50–70% shade. Train to a 3 m working height by pruning. Tolerates acidic soils but needs good drainage.

📅 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 forastero cacao?

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

What spacing is recommended for forastero cacao?

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

How tall does forastero cacao grow?

At maturity, forastero cacao reaches 6–12 m tall.

When does forastero cacao fruit?

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

When does forastero cacao flower?

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

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

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

Functions

🍎 Fruit 🍯 Melliferous

Propagation

Seed, Grafting

Citations

  1. Ceplac/Mapa — Avaliação de clones de cacaueiro quanto a resistência (primary_stratum)
  2. PeerJ — Theobroma cacao L. cultivar CCN 51 (review) (height_min_m, height_max_m)
  3. Useful Tropical Plants — Theobroma cacao (ph_min, ph_max, root_system, root_depth, waterlogging_tolerance, soil_texture_preference)
  4. PFAF Plant Database — Theobroma cacao (hardiness_zone_min, hardiness_zone_max, frost_tolerance_c)

External references

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