Snug in the garden greenhouse, our two cocoa trees were covered in flowers in spring! A profusion of delicate, pink clusters hang along the branches, whose buds resemble tiny pods. Gardeners take advantage of the slightest ray and the softness of the air to open the doors to pollinating insects, hoping to see fruits appear. You should know that cocoa trees can produce around 5 years after planting. Our Roanne trees were born in jam jars, perfect for an exotic nursery. They are not at their first flowering, which lasts all year round, but each bud is an event at the chocolate factory... and the pods are a real source of pride for Hugo Pralus who has succeeded in his challenge of growing cocoa at Roanne in 2021. He had then harvested around ten small pods. Unfortunately, the summer of 2022 was fatal for one of the two subjects, who suffered from heatstroke. It has been replaced by a young tree which is giving its first flowers and we hope, will contribute to new pollination and perhaps new pods.
