Cacao , ( Theobroma cacao ), tropical evergreen tree (family Malvaceae ) grown for its edible seeds, whose scientific name means “food of the gods” in Greek . Native to lowland rainforests of the Amazon and Orinoco river basins, cacao is grown commercially in the New World tropics as well as western Africa and tropical Asia. Its seeds, called cocoa beans , are processed into cocoa powder, cocoa butter , and chocolate . This article treats the cultivation of the cacao plant . For information on the processing of cocoa and the history of its use, see the article cocoa . Natural history Cacao grows in the forest understory to a height of 6–12 metres (20–40 feet), usually remaining at the lower end of this range. Its oblong leathery leaves measure up to 30 cm (12 inches) in length, and are periodically shed and replaced by new leaves that are strikingly red when young. Its flow...
