Trees we love: Cacao

Welcome to our new series “Trees we love”, where we introduce you to the heart of our work at Treedom: our trees. We take you into our world! Today, we’re starting with the cacao tree.

Theobroma Cacao

We all know cocoa – or rather the product of the well-known fruit of the cacao tree (Theobroma Cacao): chocolate. Today, however, we want to turn our attention to the cacao tree itself. So let's start with the facts. The cacao tree is a small tree, 4 to 10 metres high, with a dense crown of horizontally protruding branches. The flowers of the evergreen cacao blossom all year round and grow directly from the trunk itself. Depending on the species, they can be white, green or pink. But only a few of these flowers develop over time into the famous fruit: the cocoa bean. The cacao tree is a classic shade-loving plant and does not tolerate sunlight well.

Even bitter things conceal a sweet soul

The cocoa beans, which actually taste bitter, are fermented during the manufacturing process and gradually acquire their sweet flavour. “Theobroma Cacao” originally comes from tropical South America but is now also planted in Africa and Asia. Treedom plants cacao trees in eight countries around the world. Cacao trees offer many advantages. They store CO₂, and at the same time they offer economic opportunities to local people. The cocoa fruit is more than just food; it can be sold at local markets. For us, this is the true meaning of “sweetness” – that’s why we’ve assigned this word to the cacao tree.

 
Cacao trees from Treedom

Sustainable social impact is the core concept underpinning Treedom. But that's not all: each tree is photographed and geolocated, receiving a digital profile and regular updates from the project where it grows. You don’t just have to care for Treedom trees yourself – they can also be given as gifts to friends and relatives. A gift that makes the planet greener.

 Do you want to plant a cacao tree and support people worldwide? You can do so with just one click. With Treedom.