Do Cocoa beans grow on a tree?
According to The World Cocoa Foundation, yes. With careful care, most cocoa trees begin to bear fruit in the fifth year, although some cocoa trees can yield pods in the third and forth years. A cocoa tree reaches peek production in approximately 10 years and will continue producing pods at a high level for an additional 12-13 years. It’s not uncommon to find trees 30-40 years old, still producing pods. Thousands of tiny, waxy pink or white five-pedaled blossoms cluster together on the trunk and older branches. But only three to 10 percent of these blossoms will mature into full fruit. Once ripe, the pods are removed from the trees and fall to the ground. The husk and inner membrane of the pod is discarded, and a farmer can expect 20 to 50 cream colored beans from a typical pod. Dried beans from an average pod weigh less than two ounces, and approximately 400 beans are required to make one pound of chocolate. The site offers a complete overview of the cocoa bean called From The Tree To
