Monkey chocolate tree
Theobroma simiarum

Family: Malvaceae

What it is like

An evergreen tree. The crown is spreading. It grows 20 m tall. The trunk is 60 cm across.

Also put in the family Byttneriaceae and the Sterculiaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows as an under-storey plants in the rainforest. It grows up to 600 m above sea level. It suits the hot, moist, lowland tropics. It suits areas with an annual average temperature between 20°-30° C and an average rainfall between 2,000-8,000 mm evenly distributed. It is best in rich soils and in light shade.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panama, South America (country/location of origin)

How it is used for food

The seeds can be used for chocolate. The flesh of the fruit can be eaten raw or used for drinks.

It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Fruit, seeds, seeds - oil

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from fresh seeds.

Its other names

Local names

Teta negra, Uir-ub, Werom, Win chia

Synonyms

Theobroma chocoense Cuatrec.;