Theobroma cacao (Cacao tree)

Cameron_z6a_N.S. · Post by **Cameron_z6a_N.S.** » Thu May 19, 2011 6:19 pm

I received some Theobroma cacao pods today. The pods contain seeds (cacao beans), the same ones that are baked/ground up and made into chocolate. I tried germinating Theobroma seeds once before, but I think I kept them too damp and too cold. It's very important that the seeds are fresh, as they lose viability VERY quickly!

Pods:

Cut open, showing the seeds and the pulp that surrounds them:

Seeds from 3 pods:

After around 2 HOURS!!!

of cleaning the pulp off the seeds, I ended up with about 35 good ones:

Put in for germination:

Cameron.

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Fri May 20, 2011 6:52 pm

very cool Cameron.....let us know when they germinate!

Cameron_z6a_N.S. · Post by **Cameron_z6a_N.S.** » Fri May 20, 2011 8:18 pm

I will!

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Fri May 20, 2011 8:21 pm

Holy cow, Cameron, are you sure you have SPACE for a few more seeds in your house?

Family's probably moved into the yard tent by now...

Good luck with them.
They do look kinda yucky, though.

How can something so wonderful (chocolate) come from something that looks so...well...ugly and slimy?

Sorry..
Barb

Jubaea · Post by **Jubaea** » Fri May 20, 2011 9:28 pm

Are you hoping to someday make your own chocolate? I hope you are successful in getting some to germinate.

Cameron_z6a_N.S. · Post by **Cameron_z6a_N.S.** » Sat May 21, 2011 9:45 am

Barb, my computer room is now completely full (barely enough space to move), so I've had to start stacking trays on top of each other

I tried the pulp from one of the pods, and although it tasted sweet, it didn't taste like chocolate. I think I should have tried the bean itself.

Thanks, Jubaea! I hope I'm successful too

I hear that Theobroma is quite hard to grow (likes to be well-watered but be potted in well-draining soil, likes light shade not full sun, needs high humidity, and will go into decline/die if average temp is below 70 F or exposed to temps below 40 F even briefly)!! That being said, some people have managed to get them to fruit inside their houses. I think if I can get some trees to survive I'll be happy enough

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sat May 21, 2011 10:38 am

I would've thought your computer room was bulging a month ago.

At what stage are you potting up palm seedlings? One leaf? or Two?

Barb

Cameron_z6a_N.S. · Post by **Cameron_z6a_N.S.** » Sat May 21, 2011 10:51 am

I think I'll be potting most of them up at 2 leaves. I'll be spending a fortune on pots

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sat May 21, 2011 11:55 am

...and potting soil

And the nursery was born!

Barb

Cameron_z6a_N.S. · Post by **Cameron_z6a_N.S.** » Sat May 21, 2011 4:26 pm

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Sat May 21, 2011 7:20 pm

What do the leaves look like?? How big?

Cameron_z6a_N.S. · Post by **Cameron_z6a_N.S.** » Sat May 21, 2011 8:35 pm

The leaves look similar to avacado leaves. I've heard that as seedlings, the leaves will emerge as a reddish colour. Theobroma cacao can eventually get up to 25 feet tall in the wild!

Cameron_z6a_N.S. · Post by **Cameron_z6a_N.S.** » Mon May 23, 2011 9:41 pm

Some of the seeds have started to pop now! I'll eventually take some pics when the stems start breaking the surface

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Wed May 25, 2011 10:29 am

Some of the seeds have started to pop now!

Man, that was quick.
Beats waiting for palms to pop.

Congrats.
Barb

Cameron_z6a_N.S. · Post by **Cameron_z6a_N.S.** » Wed May 25, 2011 12:19 pm

Thanks