The cacao tree is the Amazon Rainforest plant that supplies the raw material for chocolate.
Its scientific name is Theobroma cacao. The tree produces large pods directly on its trunk and branches; each pod contains seeds embedded in a sweet, pulpy material. These seeds are fermented, dried, roasted, and processed into cocoa products.
Cacao originated in the tropical Americas, and archaeological evidence shows that ancient peoples used cacao beverages long before modern chocolate bars existed. The plant is now cultivated widely in tropical regions, especially West Africa, although its evolutionary origin lies in the Amazon and nearby parts of South America.
Cacao is not the same as the cupuaçu tree, another Amazonian relative in the mallow family. Cupuaçu is valued for its fragrant pulp, while cacao seeds are the basis of chocolate.