Arabian coffee
Coffea arabica

Family: Rubiaceae

What it is like

An evergreen shrub. It grows to 3-5 m high and spreads to 3 m across. The stem is slender and the branches are flexible. The leaves are glossy green, oblong, and tapering towards the tip. They occur opposite each other and have easy to see veins. The leaves are 10-15 cm long by 5 cm wide. The flowering stalks grow from these side branches and have 1-4 flowers. The flowers are white, with 5 petals. They have a scent. Flowers occur in clusters in the axils of leaves. The fruit are green but change to red when ripe. They contain 2 seeds. The seeds are grey-green. They are about 12 mm long. They are flattened on the side where they are pressed together. Coffee seeds are commonly called "beans".

There are about 40 Coffea species. They are mostly in Africa. In Botanical Gardens in Slovenia presumably in a hot house.

Where it is found

It is native to NE tropical Africa. A tropical and subtropical plant. It grows best in rich deep soils in a protected partly shaded position. It is drought and frost tender. It cannot stand flooding. It needs a temperature above 10°C. In West Africa it grows between 1,000-2,000 m altitude. In Papua New Guinea it is mostly between 700-2,000 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 10-11. In XTBG Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Arabia, Asia, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central Africa, Central America, China, Colombia, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Easter Island, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eswatini, Ethiopia (country/location of origin), Fiji, Georgia, Grenada, Guam, Guatemala, Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya (country/location of origin), Malawi, Marquesas, Martinique, Mexico, Middle East, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niger, Niue, Norfolk Island, North Africa, North America, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Pohnpei, Rotuma, Sahel, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Sri Lanka, St Helena, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, USA, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, Yap, Yemen, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The seeds are used for coffee. The seeds are roasted and then ground to make a drink. Coffee extract is used for flavouring ice cream, candies, pastries, and soft drinks. The roasted seeds are eaten as snacks. The red fruit and leaves are chewed for their stimulant properties. The leaves are used as a tea substitute.

It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Seeds, leaves, herb, spice, leaves - tea

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed. They can also be grown from cuttings. Budding and grafting can also be used. Seeds are planted in a nursery, under shade at first. They take 6-24 months before being ready to transplant. Plants are commonly pruned to produce a densely branched shrub, 3 m high. Two kinds of branches occur. The ones which stick upwards do not bear fruit but can produce buds for new branches. The branches which grow sideways then hang over, are the ones which fruit. Normally, only one, or up to four, of the upright branches are kept and others are pruned out.

Plants normally self pollinate. The fruit develops over 9 months. Coffee bushes bear fruit after 3-4 years and can continue to do so for 50 or 60 years. For best quality the outer layer of the seeds is removed in a pulping machine then fermented while wet for 12-24 hours before drying in the sun and having the parchment removed in a hulling machine. Five kgs of fresh berries would yield about 1 kg of dried clean coffee.

Its other names

Local names

Buna Cafe, Cafeto, Carry, Coffee (Arabian), Kabe, Kafa, Kafe, Kajui, Kapeng arabica, Koffie, Kohfi, Koofiy, Kopi arabika

Synonyms

Coffea laurifolia Salisb.; Coffea moka Heynh.; Coffea sundana Miq.; Coffea vulgaris Moench.; and Coffea arabica var.