Latin name - Coffee arabica

The Coffee tree is a small, shade-loving bush originally from Ethiopia, and now cultivated in tropical regions around the entire world.  It grows best in margins, understories, and partial-sun areas in a landscape, producing especially well when planted in fertile and sufficiently moist soils. Once or twice a year it blooms small, inconspicuous white flowers all over the branches, followed by small green fruit ripening to a bright scarlet color.  The Coffee “cherry” or the fruit part is edible and slightly sweet, but the Coffee “bean” or seed found inside the fruit is what contains lots of caffeine and is used to make your morning cup. 

Coffee trees can’t handle freezing temperatures, and will begin exhibiting signs of stress when temps fall below 40 degrees F, although they will probably not have significant dieback until it reaches below 32ºF. Coffee trees prefer a humid environment and can have some leaf damage if exposed to constant winds or fluctuating temperatures.  All that being said, we have had very little issues growing Coffee trees in both Loxahatchee and West Palm Beach, and consider them a fairly easy tree to care for.  One other note is that they do prefer a slightly acidic soil, so applying granulated sulfur once or twice a year can be beneficial to the tree’s health.

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Size: 6-8 ft. tall x wide

Sun Requirements:  Partial to full shade

Cold Hardy: 35 degrees

Harvest Season: Fall

Watering requirements: Does best with regular irrigation

Food Forest Layer: Canopy, Sub Canopy, Understory