Though they both produce beloved beans, coffee and cacao plants aren't closely related. They belong to completely different botanical families, which is the root of their many differences.

Coffee plants belong to the genus Coffea and the family Rubiaceae, which also includes gardenias. The two most famous species are Coffea arabica (Arabica) and Coffea canephora (Robusta). Cacao, on the other hand, is the sole species Theobroma cacao in its genus. It's part of the Malvaceae family, making it a relative of okra and cotton.

Visually, the two plants are quite distinct. A coffee plant is typically a large, woody shrub that grows to be a few meters tall. It has glossy, dark green leaves that are pointed and oval-shaped. The coffee cherries, which contain the beans, grow in dense clusters along the plant's branches.

The cacao plant is a true tree, often reaching heights of 4 to 8 meters. Its leaves are much larger than coffee leaves—long, leathery, and oblong. Cacao's most unusual feature is how it fruits. Instead of growing on small branches, the large pods sprout directly from the trunk and thickest limbs.

The original homes of coffee and cacao are on different continents. Coffee plants are native to the tropical highlands of Africa, specifically Ethiopia and Sudan. They thrive in mountainous regions with distinct rainy and dry seasons, often growing at high altitudes.

Cacao, in contrast, originates in the deep tropical regions of the Amazon River basin in South America. It prefers a much different environment: humid, rainy, and low-altitude. It naturally grows as an understory tree, shaded by the canopy of the rainforest.

Time to check what you've learned about these two fascinating plants.

These botanical foundations shape everything from how the plants are farmed to the flavors we eventually enjoy in our cups and chocolate bars.