Arabica Coffee Plant

Arabica Coffee Plant Care

Coffea arabica

What is the plant

How do you imagine a coffee plant? Is it a tremendous shrub somewhere in Brazil? In fact, a Coffee Plant can be one of the best plants to grow at home because it's not just easy to care for, but also very exotic and beautiful.

Coffea genus includes about 120 individual species and varieties of coffee plants, but only 3 of them can become your favorite houseplants: Coffea arabica, Coffea liberica, and Coffea robusta. Arabica Coffee Plant can reach up to 6.5 feet (2 meters) in the wild but grows significantly lower indoors. When the plant is at least 3 years old and treated carefully, you can expect the delicate bloom of white flowers in spring to brighten up your room, along with half-inch (1.3 cm) green berries that turn almost black when they mature. All parts of the plant are pretty toxic to humans and animals because of the high concentrations of caffeine, so be careful not to ingest any part and keep your children and pets away.

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Humidity

Normal

Lighting

Part Sun

Temperature

18°C - 25°C

Hardiness zone

10b - 11b

Difficulty

Medium

Hibernation

Cold Period

Toxicity

Poisonous

How to Care for the Plant

Water
This Coffee Plant loves water, especially in spring and summer; that’s why the soil should be constantly moist. In winter, watering should be reduced to once every 5-7 days, but never let the soil dry out completely.
Pruning
Pruning is unnecessary, only if the shoots are too long or dried.
Fertilizer
Weak liquid fertilizer is only needed from spring to fall once a month or even less often.

Disease diagnosis

Check your plant’s health

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Sunlight
The Arabica Coffee Plant needs light but doesn't like direct sunlight. Ideally, it should be placed on the southern side of the apartment, but far from the heating, because it might lead to leaf desiccation. It also likes fresh air, so if it's warm – you can put it outside, for example, on the balcony.
Soil
It must be rich with nutrients, peat-based potting soil with excellent drainage, and the PH close to 6.
Propagation
There are 2 major ways to propagate this plant: via stem cuttings or by seeds. When growing indoors we recommend cuttigns: plant the 8-10 inch (20-25 cm) cutting into a moist potting mix and leave only the top leaves while tearing the lower ones off to direct the energy of the plant into new top growth. Whatever method you choose, make sure that the soil stays wet with the temperature consistent enough for the plant to successfully take root.

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Temperature
The temperature is crucial for a Arabica Coffee Plant because the plant cannot tolerate even a slight decrease or increase of it. The best temperature is between 71-77˚F (22-25°C), but it should never be lower than 59˚F (15°C).
Container
The main requirements are a big enough size and several drainage holes. Repot your Coffee Plant every spring, gradually stepping up the pot size.
Fun fact
Before it became our “go-to drink,” people used coffee beans exclusively for medicinal purposes, such as treating runny nose or headaches. The drink from the coffee beans achieved widespread popularity only in 1812.