Highland coffee, Sierra Leone coffee
Coffea stenophylla
Family: Rubiaceae
What it is like
An evergreen shrub. It can grow 6 m high. The young leaf shoots are pink. The leaves are 10-15 cm long by 3-4 cm wide. They are bright green and shiny but are paler underneath. The flowers are large and white. The fruit are fleshy and bluish-black. They are oval and 12-13 mm long by 8-10 mm wide.
There are about 40 Coffea species.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows in the hills in Sierra Leone and Guinea. It suits moist warm forest regions.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Asia, Australia, China, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Guinée, India, Ivory Coast, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, West Africa (country/location of origin)
How it is used for food
The seeds are roasted and ground and used as coffee.
Edible parts
Seeds - coffee
How it is grown
Plants are grown from seed.