Family: Malvaceae

Cocoa is a small tree that bears edible fruit. Native to tropical America, it has been in cultivation for thousands of years. The valuable seeds were given to warriors, served at royal banquets, and used as currency by the Aztecs and Mayans. Eventually, the Spanish Conquistadors appropriated chocolate and added their own innovation, sugar, and spices. The new beverage was brought back to Europe and quickly became a drink for the social elite. 

The first account of cocoa cultivation in Hawaii was in 1831 when it was noticed growing at the Francisco de Paula Marín estate. The humid climate of Hawaii a perfect for cocoa production. As the farthest North producer of this tropical crop, Hawaii is known as ‘The North Pole of chocolate.” It grows well with light shade and rich, well-drained soils. Keep it protected from the wind. 

It is a value-added crop that can be grown, harvested, roasted, fermented, defatted, and processed from small farms. Agricultural tourism for chocolate ‘farm to bar’ is an exciting way to showcase how the crop is grown and processed. The state of Hawaii is committed to accelerating the industry and promoting its uses and products. 

The Puna district of Hawaii Island was recently infested with a pest that damages and kills cocoa trees. The Queensland Longhorn beetle burrows into the trunk and lays eggs, which leaves a quarter-sized gaping hole. Research into understanding and combatting this new pest is ongoing.

Plant Uses:

• Edible
• Ornamental

Plant Dangers:

• No dangers

High Risk Traits:

• Thrives in tropical climates
  
• Reported to be naturalized in Puerto Rico, and possibly other locations
  
• Toxic to cats and dogs
  
• Potential host of pests and pathogens
  
• Tolerates many soil types
  
• Shade-tolerant (could establish in intact forest understories)
  
• Reproduces by seeds (facilitating possible naturalization)
  
• Some genetic types may be self-compatible
  
• Seeds dispersed by frugivorous mammals and intentionally by people
  
• Able to coppice

Low Risk Traits:

• Despite widespread cultivation, no confirmed reports of invasiveness outside native range
  
• Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
  
• Palatable to grazing animals
  
• Valued for seeds (used in cocoa production)
  
• Several genetic types are self-incompatible
  
• Not reported to spread vegetatively
  
• Large seeds valued for cocoa and unlikely to be accidentally dispersed
  
• Sensitive to herbicides (could provide effective control if needed)