Cacao tree

To grow cocoa, you need three components: high temperatures, high humidity and good shade. Above listed conditions are similar to a sauna, which is naturally found in Ecuador, Brazil, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Venezuela, Malaysia, Indonesia and Cameroon. These countries form the so-called "cocoa belt". The most successful chocolate manufacturers are based in the United States and Switzerland, and most of all cocoa beans grown in Côte d'Ivoire and Brazil.

Cocoa trees in the wild can reach 16 meters, but they all grow up to 5-6 meters. To achieve such a low altitude, cocoa planted in the shadow of "mother of cocoa» (madres del cocoa), ie, palms, or bananas. Thus, the sun does not destroy the young shoots of cocoa, and their fruit is convenient to collect.

Depending on the age of cocoa trees have a different number of fruit: three years after the pods appear first, then year by year their numbers are growing, and from 10 to 35 years maximum yield of cocoa. After 35 years the number of pods with every year decreases.

Flowers, namely, many small buds, a cocoa growing directly on the branches and trunk, so botanists call this plant kaulifloriynym. In place of flowers, the pods are developing, which after 4 months of give fruit. Cacao fruits twice a year. Ripe chocolate pods resemble a melon purple, yellow or brown color. Their size - roughly 30 by 15 cm and weighs about 500 grams. Inside each pod may be from 30 to 40 fruits. Harvest with a sharp knife, then dissected and each pod is dried in the sun. After that the seeds of cocoa wander and lose their inherent nature of rancidity.

It is possible to plant cocoa, even at home. To do this, prepare a friable soil, to ensure that draft and raise the temperature of at least 16 degrees. To give the fruit of the plant as early as possible, should ensure that it is scattered ultraviolet and high humidity. Still, do not wait for the fruit in the first few years. To the height of trees was small, he pinch the top leaves. So pet cocoa reaches 30 cm in height and will appear as an ornamental plant.

Cacao tree must be sprayed with a solution of black yeast, and rizoplana trichodermine in order to avoid possible contamination by fungal or viral diseases. Keep in mind that cocoa trees are prone to such diseases, therefore their prevention is not hurt.

However, the purchase of cocoa seedling is not easy, because this plant is very poor and rarely takes the road comes to us. If you, in whatever cost, want to start a similar indoor plant, look for the owners Teobroma cacao (or "food of the gods", as he called this plant Carolus Linnaeus, Swedish naturalist). Otlomlennaya twig cocoa probably settle down. You can also begin to cultivate cocoa beans. Such plants are more resistant to the room conditions.