The same coffee plant that provides the beans for your morning cup of coffee is also a beautiful and easy to grow plant. With your glossy dark green foliage It is erect growth habitthis low-maintenance tropical evergreen can add an airy, vacation vibe to any space.
Coffee plants grown indoors will eventually produce small, fragrant white flowers after about five years under the right conditions. To produce bright red berries – each of which will create two delicious coffee beans – they must be hand-pollinated.
So while it’s possible to grow a handful of your own coffee beans, your best bet is to appreciate the plant for its lush vegetationqualities of air cleaning and ease of care. How are coffee plants toxic for petstake care!
Botanical Name: Coffea Common Name: Coffee Plant Plant Type: Evergreen Shrub Mature Size: 3 to 3.3 meters tall Sun Exposure: Strong, indirect light Soil Type: Well-draining peat-based potting soil pH soil: 6 to 6.5 Toxicity: Toxic
Plant care
keep the ground of your coffee plant consistently moist, but not soggy. Use a well-draining, slightly acidic soil mix so the plant doesn’t get waterlogged.
Also, check the soil at least once a week in the beginning to establish a watering routine. Your plant will probably need less water in the winter months than during the growing season.
Feed your coffee plant using standard houseplant fertilizer diluted to half every two months during the season. spring and the summer. When fall arrives, stop your fertilizing routine until the following spring.
Keep in mind that coffee plants can reach 3.3 meters in height at maturity (although they are much shorter when grown indoors). So, if you plan on fertilizing regularly, make sure you have a large enough space to keep up with its growth.
Best growing conditions for coffee plants
The natural habitat of the coffee tree is the understory of a hot humid jungle, and they grow best in a climate similar to that of houseplants. The ideal temperature is above 18 degrees – freezing temperatures can kill your plant, so keep it in a warm place, away from cold drafts.
An easy way to create more moisture around your plant is to fill a shallow tray with a layer of pebbles and add water below the top of the pebbles. Place your potted plant on top of the traymaking sure that the bottom of the vase and the surface of the water do not touch.
The water in the tray will slowly evaporate, adding moisture to the air around your plant. This species is also a great candidate for growing as a toilet plant.
Choose a location for your plant that receives bright, indirect, or bright light. Direct sunlight can be harmful – brown spots on the leaves are a sign that your plant is getting too much sun. On the other hand, brown edges crunchy indicate excess water. A coffee plant that has received too much water will look droopy or long-legged.
types of coffee plants
The genus Coffea actually covers about 120 individual species and varieties of coffee plants. Only three, however, are common houseplants: Coffea arabica, Coffea eugenioides and Coffea canephora.
The first, coffee arabica, is the plant that produces what we call Arabic coffee. This plant originally grew in Ethiopia and South Sudan, but after the world tasted its delicious beans, people started growing this coffee plant in various countries.
The second, Coffea eugenioidesoriginates from East Africa, and its beans typically have a lower caffeine content than others. Lastly, the coffee canephora it is the species that produces robust coffee. Your red beans (and sometimes green) have a higher productivity rate and caffeine content than most other species.
How to propagate coffee plants
While it may seem like an obvious method, you cannot plant a roasted or green coffee bean and grow a coffee plant. The easiest way to grow a new plant is to propagate it through piles. See how:
Step 1: Gather garden shears or clippers, a small pot, fresh soil, powdered rooting hormone, a pencil or chopstick, a clear plastic bag, and a mature, healthy coffee plant.
step 2: Fill a small bowl with moistened fresh earth with water. Use the pencil or chopstick to poke a hole a few inches deep in the surface.
step 3: Choose a straight, healthy stem that is just under half an inch wide on the mother plant. The cut should be approx. 15 centimeters long with at least two leaves. Cut the stem with a diagonal cut.
step 4: Remove the leaves from the lower third of the cutting. Dip the cut end in rooting hormone and plant the cutting in the hole. Tap the ground lightly to make it flat.
step 5: Place the plastic bag over the cut to keep the moisture. Insert the pencil or chopstick into the soil to keep the plastic bag away from the plant’s leaves. Place the cutting in a warm place with bright, indirect light.
Step 6: Keep the soil around the cut well moistened. Look for new leaves, which are a sign that the plant has rooted (this can take two to three months). When new growth appears, you can replant the plant in a slightly larger container and care for it as usual.
Common problems with coffee plants
Coffee plants have easy care steps, but like most houseplants, they are susceptible to pests and incorrect water or sunlight requirements. Here’s how to diagnose and treat your plant:
Yellow or brown leaves
The most common problem you may face as a coffee plant parent can be caused by yourself. You could end up drowning the roots, which causes the leaves to droop or turn yellow or brown. Trim heavily affected leaves and cut watering.
withered leaves
Too much sun can burn your plant and cause the leaves to wilt. Move your coffee plant to a more shaded area.
fallen stems
If your plant starts to droop or its stems get long and thin, chances are it needs water. Increase your watering schedule until it starts to grow healthy.
Pests
Small spider mites are common pests for coffee plants. If you see an infestation, rinse the entire plant with water and apply neem oil as needed.
Coffee plant potting
Plan to replant your plant in a container one size larger each spring. Use a canister with drainage holes to prevent root rot, and use fresh, well-draining soil such as a 50-50 mixture of peat moss and perlite.
You can help contain the size of your coffee plant by pruning its leaf growth around this time, pruning its roots, or using a slightly smaller pot to restrict growth. Prune the branches to help your plant develop fuller, thicker leaves during the growing season.
How to make coffee plants bloom
A mature coffee plant can flower at about three or four years old. Indoor plants will not produce berries – aka “coffee cherries” – without being pollinated, but your plant will still likely bloom with white flowers.
Keep the plant in a warm area around 23 degrees and make sure it is getting plenty of moisture. If your plant hasn’t flowered by age six, replant it in the spring with suitable soil and move it outdoors to an area with filtered light.
Common questions
Can coffee plants grow indoors?
Yes, your coffee plant can thrive indoors as long as the pot has proper drainage and the room has plenty of humidity.
How fast do coffee plants grow?
Your coffee plant will reach maturity around age five, but it can grow up to two feet a year.
Can coffee plants grow without sunlight?
Coffee plants can tolerate low light conditions, but it’s best to keep yours in an area with bright, indirect light or dappled light.
How long can coffee plants live?
Many species of Coffea can live up to 100 years and generally produce fruit for 30 to 50 years.
* Via My Domain