Evergreen tree up to 12 metres tall with elliptical, lanceolate leaves and clusters of flowers borne directly on the trunk (cauliflory). The resulting berries are ovate and longitudinally grooved, and turn yellowish or reddish-brown when ripe. The cocoa fruit contains white mucilaginous pulp with 30 to 60 brown seeds.
Pollination of the cocoa tree is carried out by small tropical mosquitoes known as midges. A tree can produce up to 1,000 flowers, of which only 0.5% to 5% are successfully pollinated, which poses a major challenge in cocoa plantations. Here at the Tropenhaus the work of the midges is taken on by trainees.
We first produced chocolate and offered tastings at Frutigen in February 2014. Naturally we felt that the chocolate made from our own beans was simply the best. The pulp of the fruit also tastes very sweet and juicy. We use freshly harvested cocoa beans to grow new seedlings to sell on.
Southern Mexico to northern South America
Pollination of the cocoa tree is carried out by small tropical mosquitoes known as midges. A tree can produce up to 1,000 flowers, of which only 0.5% to 5% are successfully pollinated, which poses a major challenge in cocoa plantations. Here at the Tropenhaus the work of the midges is taken on by trainees.
We first produced chocolate and offered tastings at Frutigen in February 2014. Naturally we felt that the chocolate made from our own beans was simply the best. The pulp of the fruit also tastes very sweet and juicy. We use freshly harvested cocoa beans to grow new seedlings to sell on.
