Trinitario Cacao Tree Yellow, Long Ribbed – Fruit-Bearing Theobroma Cacao Tree

The Trinitario Cacao (Theobroma cacao), a yellow long-ribbed variety, is a compact, fragrant chocolate tree that produces vibrant yellow pods filled with cacao beans for homemade chocolate, cocoa powder, and cacao butter. Grown in a warm, humid Florida nursery, it is propagated from seedlings, making each tree a unique cultivar.

At a glance

• Botanical name: Theobroma cacao (Trinitario, yellow long-ribbed)
• Propagation: Grown from seedlings
• Light: Full to partial sun
• Water: Regular; well-drained soil
• Size: About 8 feet in containers, over 20 feet in the ground
• Fruiting: Pods can begin within 3 years; each fruit holds 20 to 30 beans
• Type: Edible cacao tree

Best for

• Patios, greenhouses, and indoor container growing in cooler zones
• Warm, subtropical outdoor gardens
• Home chocolate and cocoa makers
• Gardeners wanting a rare, fragrant tree
• An exotic edible specimen

How to grow

Grow in full to partial sun in well-drained soil. The tree thrives in subtropical conditions and adapts to container growing in cooler zones. It ships in a plastic container at 12 to 18 inches (1-gallon) or 2 to 3 feet (3-gallon) and, with proper care, can begin producing pods within three years.

Flavor profile

Each yellow pod holds 20 to 30 cacao beans that can be fermented, dried, and made into chocolate or cocoa products. Cacao is rich in flavonoids and antioxidants, and cocoa butter from the beans is a natural skin moisturizer.

About Everglades Farm

Everglades Farm cultivates its cacao trees in a warm, humid Florida nursery for gardeners who want to grow their own chocolate.