The coffee plant is a small, broadleaf evergreen shrub or small tree in the coffee family (Rubiaceae) with an upright habit. It is native to Ethiopia but is grown worldwide in tropical climates as a crop. The genus name comes from the Arabic word kahwah, meaning beverage. The species epithet means of Arabia, which is a misnomer. The species is not native to the Arabian Peninsula. It can be grown as a houseplant in temperate climates in well-draining potting soil with bright light and high humidity. Indoor plants are usually kept at a height of 4 to 6 feet. If taken outdoors, the plant prefers some partial shade. Plant in organically rich-well drained soil, kept consistently moist but not soggy. Plants prefer daytime temperatures of 70 to 80°F and nighttime temperatures of 60 to 65°F. and leaf drop can occur at temperatures below 55°F. Indoors or outdoors, you should fertilize during the growing season. The coffee plant is economically important to many tropical and subtropical countries where it is commercially grown for its seeds (coffee beans). Three to four years after initial planting, small white fragrant blooms will appear from late spring to early summer. Fissured bark appears on older branches. The berries that result from the blossoms are harvested and processed into coffee beans. Most coffee plantations trim the plants to 6 feet for ease of harvest. The berries are picked by hand when ripe and de-pulped, with the extracted beans then dried in the sun before roasting and grinding to produce the popular beverage. As this plant is tropical, it can only be grown as a houseplant or conservatory plant. It can be placed outside during the summer months. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: Coffee plants are susceptible to scale, mealybug, thrips, caterpillars and mites.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.