Which plant species produces cacao beans, the seeds used to make chocolate?

Theobroma cacao is the plant species that produces cacao beans, the seeds used to make chocolate.

The tree bears unusual flowers and fruits directly on its trunk and older branches, a growth habit called cauliflory. Its large pods contain rows of seeds embedded in a sweet, pale pulp. Farmers ferment and dry these seeds before roasting and processing them into cocoa products.

The species originated in the upper Amazon region, while major modern production is concentrated in West Africa, especially Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. Cacao cultivation is different from cocoa processing: cacao usually refers to the plant or its raw products, while cocoa often describes processed powder or roasted material.

Chocolate is not made simply by grinding dried beans. Fermentation, drying, roasting, grinding, and mixing with ingredients such as sugar create the familiar flavor and texture.