Chocolate: The Cacao Tree and its Product

The tree is indigenous to the region of Latin America that lies between S. Mexico and the northern Amazon basin. The cacao tree is an evergreen, achieving a height of 6–12 m (20–40'), depending on growing conditions. It is a prima donna, requiring shade when young, and susceptible to fungi and pests. Diseases are controlled by breeding resistant varieties; the one commonly used is the Forastero. The Criollo, grown by the Aztecs at the time of the Conquest, is delicate and little used today, although it produces finer beans. Hybrid varieties are also grown. Cacao is cultivated under banana or rubber trees which provide shade, and alternative sources of income if the cacao crop fails.