Theobroma grandiflorum, commonly known as cupuaçu, also spelled cupuassu, cupuazú, cupu assu, or copoazu, is a tropical rainforest tree related to cacao. Native and common throughout the Amazon basin, it is naturally cultivated in the jungles of northern Brazil, with the largest production in Pará, Amazonas and Amapá, Colombia, Bolivia and Peru. and is used to make ice creams, snack bars, and other products.
Description
thumb|Cupuacu flower
Cupuaçu trees usually range from in height, though some can reach . They have brown bark, and the leaves range from long and across, with 9 or 10 pairs of veins. As the trees mature, the leaves change from pink-tinted to green, and eventually they begin bearing fruit.
Flowers of cupuaçu are structurally complex, and require pollination from biotic vectors. The majority of cupuaçu trees are self-incompatible, which can result in decreased pollination levels, and consequently, a decrease in fruit yields. Chocolate made from cupuaçu, very similar to that made from cocoa, is called cupulate.
Cultivation
thumb|Cupuaçu, [[:en:Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária|EMBRAPA plantation near Manaus, Brazil. Four years old.]]
Cupuaçu is most commonly propagated from seed, but grafting and rooted cuttings are also used.
Cupuaçu trees are often incorporated in agroforestry systems throughout the Amazon due to their high tolerance of infertile soils, which are predominant in the Amazon region. Brazilians either eat it raw or use it in making sweets.
Commercial food products include pulp and powder.
Pests and diseases
Witches' broom (Moniliophthora perniciosa) is the most prominent disease that affects cupuaçu trees. It affects the entire tree and can result in significant loss of yields and even tree death if left untreated. Regular pruning is recommended to reduce the severity of this disease in cupuaçu plantings.
Phytochemicals
Cupuaçu flavors derive from its phytochemicals, such as tannins, glycosides, theograndins, catechins, quercetin, kaempferol and isoscutellarein. It also contains theacrine, caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline as found in cacao, although with a much lower amount of caffeine.
Cupuaçu butter
thumb|Cupuaçu butter ()
Cupuaçu butter is a triglyceride composed of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, giving the butter a low melting point (approximately 30 °C) and texture of a soft solid, lending its use as a confectionery resembling white chocolate.