Cacao is a tree, a long-term addition to the landscape. It's hardy across USDA zones 11 through 12 and stands up to deer. It roots deep, which helps it reach moisture in a dry spell and open up tight soil as it establishes.
Zones
11-12
pH Range
4-8
Sun
Full Sun
Days to Maturity
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Score Cacao on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether cacao actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score cacao against your land's real conditions.
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What Cacao is
Cacao grows as a perennial and reaches around 25 feet at maturity. It's also deer-resistant.
How to grow Cacao
Cacao grows in USDA zones 11 through 12. Cacao does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 4 to 8, on well-drained ground. It needs around 5,000 growing degree days to mature, a growing season of at least 180 frost-free days, and about 0 hours of winter chill to set fruit, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
11-12
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
4 - 8
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Full Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost Tolerance
50°F
The lowest temperature it shrugs off — below this, expect damage without cover.
Growable Ground plant catalog
GDD Required
5000+
Growing degree-days of accumulated warmth it needs to mature — humid summers reach this faster than cool coastal ones.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Mature Height
25 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Chill Hours
0+
Winter hours below ~45°F it needs to fruit — too-mild winters can leave it bloom-shy.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost-Free Days
180+
The frost-free stretch it needs start to finish — short-season areas may need an indoor head start.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Plant it right
Set cacao in full sun with well-drained soil. Many fruit trees need a second variety nearby to pollinate — check before you plant just one.
Match the soil
Cacao prefers pH 4 to 8 (FAO ECOCROP). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Be patient, then harvest
Prune annually while the tree establishes; fruit trees reward patience with years of harvest. Local Extension guides publish per-cultivar bearing-age tables.
Good to know
One caution for pet owners — cacao is toxic to dogs and cats (severe severity). Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)
Before you harvest cacao, know your soil
Anything you grow to eat takes up what's in the ground it grows in, so it's worth knowing what's documented near you before you plant cacao for food. Our free screen reads 9 federal source types across roughly 1.8M indexed sites and shows which sit near your address and which way they drain. It's a screening estimate from public records and proximity — not a soil test — so a nearby record means a soil test is worth it, not that your soil is unsafe.
Where Cacao thrives
Cacao is hardy across USDA zones 11 through 12. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 11–12·Where Cacao growsOpen map →
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Cacao can grow in these states:
See if Cacao will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether cacao actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Cacao in my zone?
Cacao grows in USDA hardiness zones 11 through 12 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Cacao?
Set cacao out in early spring or fall while it's dormant, so the roots establish before the heat of summer. Your local last-frost date — which a Growable Ground report pulls for your exact address — sets the precise window.
How much sun does Cacao need?
Cacao needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Cacao need?
Cacao prefers soil pH 4 to 8, on well-drained ground (FAO ECOCROP). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Is Cacao safe for pets?
Cacao is toxic to pets (dogs,cats) with severe severity. Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)