Pocket BotanistPlant guide
Coffee plant.
Coffea arabica
Pronounced KOF-ee-uh uh-RAB-ih-kuh
Also known as Arabian coffee, Arabica Coffee, Arabica coffee, Arabian coffee, Coffee tree, Coffee,, Coffee, Kona Coffee
The coffee plant is a beautiful evergreen shrub that brings a tropical feel to your home. It features glossy, dark green leaves and can produce fragrant white flowers followed by red berries. With the right care, it makes a lovely indoor specimen.
At a glance
- Care level
- Moderate
- Plant type
- Evergreen shrub
- Light
- Bright indirect light
- Indoor light
- bright-indirect
- Water
- Every 5 to 10 days
- Mature size
- 150 to 300 cm
- Growth rate
- medium
- Hardiness
- USDA 10 to 11
- Bloom time
- Late spring to early summer
Care
Keep your plant in a spot with consistent, bright indirect light and avoid harsh afternoon sun. Maintain high humidity and keep the soil evenly moist but never soggy. Watch for yellowing leaves which often signal overwatering or poor drainage.
- Watering
- Keep the soil consistently moist but ensure the pot has excellent drainage.
- Feeding
- Use a balanced liquid fertilizer during the active growing season.
- Pruning
- Trim back long stems in early spring to encourage a bushier shape.
- Repotting
- Repot in spring when the roots begin to circle the bottom of the container.
- Soil
- Well draining acidic potting mix
- Soil pH
- 6.0 to 6.5
- Temperature
- 15 to 24°C
- Humidity
- 50 to 70%
- Drought tolerance
- low
- Lifespan
- Perennial, typically 10 to 20 years in ideal conditions.
- Fragrance
- strong
- Deer and rabbits
- moderate
Signs it needs repotting
- Roots growing out of the drainage holes.
- Water running straight through the pot without soaking in.
- Stunted growth despite proper care.
Safety
- People
- The plant is generally considered non-toxic, but the caffeine content in the seeds can cause jitters or digestive upset if ingested in large amounts.
- Pets
- The coffee plant is considered toxic to cats and dogs if ingested.
- Children
- Keep the plant out of reach of small children, as the berries can be a choking hazard if ingested.
- Contact allergens
- Some people may experience mild skin irritation from handling the raw plant foliage.
- Airborne allergens
- The flowers produce a sweet, fragrant scent that can be overwhelming for those sensitive to strong floral aromas.
- Edibility
- While the seeds are roasted for coffee, raw coffee beans contain caffeine and other compounds that can be harmful if consumed in large quantities.
How to identify it
- Glossy dark green leaves
- Wavy leaf margins
- Fragrant white star shaped flowers
- Bright red oval berries
- Height
- 1 to 3m
- Spread
- 0.6 to 1.5m
- Leaves
- dark green, evergreen
- Flowers
- white, 1 to 2cm
- Fruit
- red, Autumn
Common problems
- Spider mites — These tiny pests thrive in dry indoor air and cause stippling on leaves.
- Scale insects — Brown, bump-like insects that suck sap from the stems and undersides of leaves.
- Leaf spot — Fungal infections often caused by high humidity and poor air circulation.
Growing it
- Propagation
- cuttings, seed
- When to plant
- spring
- Overwintering
- Bring the plant indoors before temperatures drop. Keep it away from cold drafts and heating vents to maintain humidity.
- In containers
- It grows well in containers and prefers a pot with excellent drainage, starting with a 6 to 8 inch size.
Seed propagation
- Use fresh, unroasted coffee seeds.
- Soak seeds in water for 24 hours.
- Plant in moist, well-draining soil.
- Keep warm and covered until germination.
Group plants with similar humidity needs together to create a microclimate that keeps them all happy.
Grows well with
- Peace Lily — They share similar requirements for high humidity and indirect light.
- Ferns — Ferns thrive in the same moist, shaded environment as coffee plants.
Keep away from
- Succulents — Succulents require much drier soil and higher light levels than coffee plants.
Similar species
- Liberian Coffee — It is a larger species with different flavor profiles and growing habits.
- Robusta Coffee — This species is more tolerant of heat and pests than the arabica variety.
Science
- Family
- Rubiaceae
- Genus
- Coffea
- Order
- Gentianales
- Class
- Magnoliopsida
- Native range
- Ethiopian highlands and parts of South Sudan.
- Conservation
- Wild populations of Coffea arabica are currently threatened by climate change and habitat loss in their native Ethiopian forests.
It grows as an understory shrub in tropical forests, relying on dappled light and consistent moisture to survive.
- Value to wildlife
- nectar source
- Pollinators
- bees
- Uses
- ornamental houseplant, indoor greenery
Through the year
Ecological indicators
- Salinity
- 2/9
- Soil reaction
- 5/9
- Light
- 6/9
- Temperature
- 7/9
- Moisture
- 7/9
- Nutrients
- 6/9
Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.
Questions people ask
- How often should I water my coffee plant?
- Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged, allowing the top inch to dry out between waterings.
- Does my coffee plant need high humidity?
- Yes, it loves humidity, so misting the leaves or using a pebble tray is helpful.
Where the name comes from
The genus name Coffea is derived from the Kaffa region in Ethiopia where the plant was first discovered. The species name arabica refers to the plant's historical association with the Arabian Peninsula.
Good to know
- Coffee plants produce small, white, jasmine-scented flowers.
- The fruit of the coffee plant is known as a coffee cherry.
- It takes about 3 to 4 years for a coffee plant to start producing fruit.
- Coffee plants prefer bright, indirect light to thrive indoors.
Is your coffee plant looking unwell?
This page is a general guide. Pocket Botanist diagnoses problems from a photo of your actual plant, works out watering for your light and conditions, and reminds you when care is due.
This guide was generated with AI and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.