Cocoa Tree Flower

Did you know

• The tiny flowers grow directly from the trunk and main branches in a phenomenon called cauliflory.
• Of the thousands of flowers a cocoa tree produces each year, only about 1 to 5 percent are successfully pollinated.
• The genus name Theobroma means 'food of the gods' in Greek, reflecting the high value placed on chocolate by ancient cultures.
• Tiny midges no larger than a pinhead are the primary pollinators, as the flowers are too small for bees.
• A single cocoa tree can produce about 2,500 beans per year, enough for roughly 2.5 pounds of chocolate.

Color meanings

Uses

• chocolate production
• cocoa butter
• traditional beverage
• cosmetics ingredient