mmm . . . Coffee !
coffea arabica
Coffee arabica is a tropical,tender perennial bush that likes light shade, and rich but slightly acidic soil.
While it is cold hardy to almost 30 degrees for a very short flash, it is best grown in zones 10a-11 as it does not like frost.
It can be container grown in zone 9, if kept in a mostly sunny greenhouse for winter. It prefers the humidity of a greenhouse, rather than to winter in an indoors or garage environment.
unripe coffee beans
Appearance
Coffee arabica has glossy dark green leaves w/ petite, jasmine-like scented white flowers that bloom in the spring. Flowers do not open all at once, and so neither do the berries ripen all at once either.
Berries will change from green to yellow to orange then finally to deep red when fully ripe.
Coffee has a bushy habit, and grows 12-15' tall in outdoor gardens if in zones 10-11. It will be shorter if container grown further north. If planting in the ground, space bushes approximately 8-10' apart to give room to walk around and pick the fruit. Or it can be planted closer if you're making a hedge with it.
Growing Conditions
Coffee prefers light shade or filtered sun, not full sun. Consistent water with well drained soil is best. But it requires a slight dry spell to induce blooming.
Coffee likes nutrient rich soil, with regular feeding, and mildly acidic with a pH range of 6.1 to 6.5 pH.
ripe coffee beans
COFFEE ARABICA
Update 2025: 3g & 7g plants available.