C. cainito is a tropical plant and prefers a humid atmosphere with relatively high temperatures throughout the year. In Southeast Asia, it thrives in the lowlands and in areas with a distinct dry season. The tree belongs to the lowlands of Central America and West Indies. It is more or less naturalized at low and medium altitudes from southern Mexico to Panama, and is abundant on the Pacific side of Guatemala. It is frequently cultivated at southern and northern Argentina and Peru.