Coffee arabica
A small tropical bush that makes a lovely container plant resembling gardenia. The white flowers are quite showy but short lived. The fruits mature to a vivid red. Beans are harvested, roasted and ground for coffee. The leaves contain caffeine and are used as a tea substitute. An indoor plant can produce enough beans for roasting and the berries are edible. The indoor plant doesn't need direct sun and can be situated in the middle of the room. A terracotta pot works best indoors and shade is important outdoors. Zones 9-10.
| Plant Characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Pest Resistance | Excellent |
| Disease Resistance | Excellent |
| Drought Tolerance | Fair |
| Heat Tolerance | Excellent |
| Humidity Tolerance | Excellent |
| Sun Tolerance | Very Good |
| Wet Soil Tolerance | Fair |
| Shade Tolerance | Very Good |
| No Spray | Excellent |
| Salt Tolerance | Poor |
| Fresh for Kids | Poor |
| Deer Resistance | Good |
| Thorns | No |
| Plant Type | Shrub |
| Soil Type | Fertile |
| Edible Type | Fruit |
| Self Fertile | Yes |
| This information is accurate to the best of our knowledge, comments/opinions are always welcome | |
Coffee is a tropical plant. It is more frost tolerant than banana. Its ideal temperature is 65 - 70 degrees F. In commercial plantations it is often grown in the shade of higher trees, although at higher elevations it is grown without shade. It is native to shady tropical rain forests. Water plentifully while the plant is in active growth, and sparingly in the winter. The soil should be well drained and should never get excessively wet or boggy. Terracotta pots are ideal for a house plant. The middle of a room works very well for coffee. It is the easiest tropical edible we sell to grow indoors. Fertilize only when plant is growing. Plants can be kept at 4' tall by pruning the central leader. As the plant grows, any upright shoots may be pinched at the desired height and the growth below the pinch will bush out horizontally. Although it is a small tree it grows rapidly and begins to fruit when comparatively young. If there are no insects around at bloom time, hand pollinating should help set the berries (coffee beans). The tree has large, evergreen glossy leaves, and in blossom it is a beautiful thing. The fragrant, strikingly beautiful, white flowers are produced in dense clusters set beside each pair of dark green, wax-like leaves. Unfortunately the flowers last for only a short time. Flowering and ripening of fruit may overlap during the year. When the flowers fall, they are followed by clusters of green cherry-like fruit. These change through various shades of green and golden brown, until they are fully ripe, then they are bright red. The ripe red fleshy part of the fruit is edible. Each fruit contains 2 beans.
Please call us when you've harvested, roasted, ground and made your first cup of coffee. We'd like to hear from you!
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