World Plants Logo

search the world

Tropicals, Woody > Coffea > Coffea arabica > Coffea arabica

Coffea arabica


Arabian Coffee, Arabica Coffee, Coffee, Caféier d’Arabie




Origin:  Ethiopia
Family
Rubiaceae
Genus
Coffea
Species
arabica
Category
Tropicals, Woody
Type
Tree (evergreen), Shrub (evergreen)
USDA Hardiness Zone
10 - 11
Canadian Hardiness Zone
Requires cold season protection under glass.
RHS Hardiness Zone
H1c - H3
Temperature (°C)
-5 - 10
Temperature (°F)
23 - 50
Height
1.8 - 4.5 m
Spread
1.8 - 4.5 m
Photographs
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
MayJune
General Description
Shrub or small tree that produces berries that contain the seeds used to make coffee.
Cultivation
Best grown in rich, well-drained soils with filtered sun or light shade. Soil must be kept consistently moist but not soggy. Fertilize during the growing season.
Growth
Medium
Pests
Scale, mealybugs, thrips, caterpillars and mites. Xylella a bacterial disease is a serious threat to many horticultures crops due to its virulence and wide range of species it can infect. It can infect more than 560 species with wide ranging symptoms including leaf scorch, yellowing and scorching, wilt, branch and twig dieback and plant death. These symptoms can be identical to other symptoms such as drought and weather stress. Infected plants show symptoms within a few years after planting.
Leaf Description
Glabrous and elliptical with prominent veins and wavy margins.
Flower Description
Fragrant, star-shaped flowers bloom in axillary clusters of 2 - 9. The first flowers will bloom when the plant is 3-4 years old.
Fruit Description
Edible berries have a grape-like texture and each berry has 2 seeds each.
Colour Description
Leaves are dark green. Flowers are white. Berries start out green and mature from yellow to light red, and then deep red when ripe.
Texture Description
Leaves are glossy.
Notable Specimens
Centennial Conservatory, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.
Ethnobotanical Uses (Disclaimer)
The seed of the plant is used to make the world’s most popular beverage - coffee.
goToTop
top