Coffea arabica
| Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica) | 
| ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Coffea arabica [1] | ||
| Common name | Arabica coffee | ||
| Genus | Coffea | ||
| Family | Rubiaceae | ||
| Order | Gentianales | ||
| Habit | Evergreen shrub, usually about 1.5–3 m when managed; larger unpruned plants are possible [2] | ||
| Fruit | Red, sometimes yellow, two-seeded drupe (coffee cherry) [3] | ||
Coffea arabica, or Arabica coffee, is an evergreen coffee species associated with humid, high-elevation forest. It is grown as a managed shrub for its fleshy fruits and the seeds roasted for coffee. [2][3]
Description[edit | edit source]
In cultivation the plant is commonly kept as a 1.5–3 m shrub, while an unpruned plant may become a 3–10 m tree. It is associated with humid forest and naturally grows as an understorey plant. The leaves are glossy and evergreen. The fruit is a coffee cherry: a drupe that commonly ripens red, although yellow-fruited types also occur, and usually contains two seeds. [2][3]
Cultivation[edit | edit source]
Soil and water[edit | edit source]
Use a deep, friable, well-drained soil with organic matter and a slightly acid to neutral reaction. A short taproot is accompanied by lateral roots that can extend deeply in suitable soil, while shallow fibrous roots occupy the upper layer; persistent saturation is therefore a poor fit, and mound planting is useful where flooding is likely. [2][3]
Water consistently during establishment, but do not keep the root zone waterlogged. In a container, a free-draining medium and a vessel large enough for the developing root system are more useful than frequent light watering in a compact, wet mix. The container recommendation follows the documented root distribution and drainage requirement rather than a fixed irrigation interval. [2]
Sun and humidity[edit | edit source]
The humid forest habit is compatible with light shade, while established plants can also be grown in full sun where water and humidity are adequate. Protect plants from strong drying winds. The Florida home-landscape guidance gives an optimum range of about 15–24 °C, reports damage above 30 °C, and notes freezing injury; these figures are practical cultivation guidance, not a guarantee for every selection or site. [2][3]
Seasonal changes[edit | edit source]
Arabica coffee remains evergreen in suitable conditions rather than entering a pronounced cold dormancy. In the native humid high-elevation setting, flowering and fruit development follow the local moisture and temperature rhythm. For managed plants, UF/IFAS describes controlled late-winter watering as a way to induce flowering; adjust that practice to local weather and avoid treating a Florida calendar as universal. [2]
Propagation[edit | edit source]
Fresh seed is the standard route. Seed loses viability comparatively quickly, so sow it soon after extraction; removing the parchment is described as a way to speed germination. A compiled species treatment gives approximately 30–32 °C as a germination optimum and recommends raising seedlings in shade before planting them out at roughly 6–12 months. Those figures are practical compiled guidance, not a universal schedule. [2][3]
Stem cuttings and cleft grafting are also used. Air layering, budding and single-leaf-bud cuttings are additional reported methods. Grafting requires attention to rootstock compatibility: the Florida guidance notes that some rootstocks are incompatible, so a named combination should not be assumed to work without local confirmation. [2][3]
Flowering, fruiting, and harvest[edit | edit source]
The flowers are bisexual and described as self-fertile; honeybees may visit them, but a second plant is not inherently required by the self-fertile habit. Bearing may begin at about 2–3 years, with fuller production around 6–8 years under favorable conditions. Both values vary with propagation, climate, management and plant age. [2][3]
Harvest the coffee cherries as they develop their mature color, commonly red. Yellow-fruited types require attention to their own mature color rather than a red-color rule. The fruit is a drupe with two seeds, and more than one flowering or ripening stage may occur on a plant at the same time. [2]
Fruit and uses[edit | edit source]
The fleshy fruit is commonly called a coffee cherry. Its two seeds are removed, dried and roasted for coffee. Fruit color varies between the common red form and yellow-fruited types; color alone should not be used to identify a named selection. [2][3]
References[edit | edit source]
Image credits[edit | edit source]
- Starr_070617-7321_Coffea_arabica.jpg — Forest & Kim Starr, Coffea arabica fruiting habit in Olinda, Maui; exact license: CC BY 3.0. Individual file page: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Starr_070617-7321_Coffea_arabica.jpg. Attribution: Forest & Kim Starr.
