Coffea Arabica: A House Plant that Yields Coffee Beans

Coffea arabica is the botanical name for one type of the Coffee plant that can be easily grown in the home and serve as an unusual decorative house plant that resembles a small tree. The leaves are somewhat thin, deep green and have a natural very glossy coat. The Coffee plant is usually about 1 foot in height at the time of purchase from a nursery, but can reach a height of about 5 feet, growing 12 inches per year. If a smaller plant is preferred, the dwarf version, Coffea arabica nana, may be purchased if available. It remains much smaller and grows at a slower rate. Only seedlings that have compact, glossy leaves that show no signs of damage should be purchased.

Caring For The Coffee Plant

The living room is usually the choice spot for plants, but any area will serve provided it receives the morning sun. Sun light in the early afternoon should be filtered, but late afternoon sun is okay. The Coffee plant should be kept at a minimum of 64 degrees Fahrenheit to allow for the development of fruit in which the bean is found.

During the summer months, a regular soft mist of warm water in between regular watering twice weekly will suffice to keep the plant from drying out completely. Coffee plants should also be fed every other week with a liquid plant food at half strength during the period of growth. Repot in spring as needed.

Obtaining Coffee Beans

It's important to remember that the Coffee plant must reach an age of at least 3 years before it produces fruit in order to yield coffee beans. The red, small and round berries somewhat resemble cherry tomatoes. Inside are a couple of seeds referred to as "coffee beans." The fruit is picked and dried after which the seeds are removed, roasted and ground. Quite a few seeds are needed to obtain a rich cup of coffee so a large harvest should not be expected from only one plant.

However, the plant can be easily propagated. Cuttings are taken in the spring and placed in a mixture of equal parts of coarse sand, peat moss, and humus that is kept at temperatures above 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow from four to six weeks for roots to develop. The Coffee plant can also be grown from seed gathered from the berries, but seedling obtained in this manner may not be of the same quality as purchased plants.

Most people who grow the Coffee plant do so for its unique appearance that adds elegance to their home decor. White flowers appear on the small tree that have a sweet fragrance and adds to the beauty of the Coffee plant. The fact that a real cup of organically grown coffee can actually be obtained from a house plant is a great conversation starter. If enough plants are grown, there's the real possibility of not only enjoying the beauty of the plant, but also of producing one's own organically grown coffee beans.