Are you sure you have a Theobroma Cacao tree? I honestly think is impossible to get that tall in 2 years. Can you post pictures of it? Where do you grow it, in a pot?

Oh, it is a cacao. I was at a cacao plantation in Hawaii and got the seed right from a pod. I posted a picture last year http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tropical/msg031908025231.html look down toward the bottom of the thread. Look for pestocat. There are pictures. I now have it in a pot about 2 feet in diameter.
pestocat

most trees grown from cuttings generally do grow faster... I looked at yours..., one reason it's grown so tall is that it hasn't branched... mine branched at 6"... so putting more energy into growing branches than growing tall.
I'd think that most PLANTATIONS use cuttings, as do most tree farmers everywhere, because they grow faster... but in the wild, cacao grows from seed. :o)

Pestocat, this is fantastic! Wonderful plant! Well, I broke the top of one of my plants by mistake and it did branch, indeed. I wouldn't do the same with yours, it's just such a beautiful tree. Congratulations!

A followup from last year. Last year at about this time it was growing straight up and I was hoping to get some side branches. I cut top one more time and it kept growing another 2 feet. Next it topped out and grew 5 beautiful side branches. So essentially it has reach its top height and is growing mostly sideways at the top. I have this in our entry with a 20 foot ceiling. It looks like a jungle now when looking up. It's about 9 feet is diameter and now is the fast growing season. I was amazed at gcmastiffs story http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tropicalfruits/msg0113525414272.html of having a pod growing and with only one tree. I think I will get my magnifier out and try some pollenating with a Q-Tip or something. This is just fascinating.
pestocat

There is some really good info on cacao propagation from Dr. Guiltinan's lab at Penn State on the website below. In particular the link on "Production of Orthotropic Rooted Cuttings with Images" has some good info on rooting cuttings. It is also worth looking around on the site at some of the other links.

I have had a single cacao tree set fruit without hand pollination in south GA. (It spends the winter in the greenhouse in our climate but lives outside from April until November.) The thread is located at http://www.cloudforest.com/cafe/forum/42675.html

Richard

Here is a link that might be useful: Penn State Cacao Projects

Where does one get a cutting for a cacao? Or seeds? I'd love to grow one.

Thanks
Peter

I think Montoso sells both trees and seeds. I've never bought from them but have heard good things and they have a good rating on GWD. I got fresh seeds from someone that lives in PR. They do grow quite fast.
Karyn

Here is a link that might be useful: Montoso Gardens

I have a large four year old cocao tree growing in my greenhouse and want to know about getting it to fruit. Any ideas?

Cocoa trees if grown right will produce when 2 years old, they need to be kept warm and humid otherwise flower buds will not form properly
a particular midge species pollinates the flowers
the tree produces all year round

Hi,
I recently took a cutting of theobroma cacao from a botanical garden near me! They were quite low plants, and as I am quite tall, I accidentally broke a small shoot off a branch. I took it home and planted it in some soil, with bottom heat, high humidity, and rooting hormone. It is around 4 inches long and I have trimmed the leaves back a bit. Is there any chance of it rooting?
Thanks,
James