Coffea arabica (coffee plant)

Also known as mountain coffee or Java coffee, this plant originated in East to South Sudan, Southwest Ethiopia, and Northern Kenya. It is now cultivated worldwide in the tropics and is the most economically significant representative of the coffee plant genus (Coffea).

It grows as a dense shrub or small tree, mainly in seasonally dry tropical areas. As the name "mountain coffee" suggests, it is primarily cultivated in tropical highlands (1000m above sea level or more), where it grows slower at cooler temperatures and develops a better aroma. Compared to Robusta or lowland coffee, which grows faster in warmer temperatures, the bean of C. arabica is characterized by a more refined taste and (usually) lower caffeine content.

With good care, C. arabica produces small, white, highly fragrant flowers two to four years after planting. The sweet scent is similar to that of jasmine blossoms. The pollinated flowers develop into berries about 1cm long. When ripe, they are bright red to purple and usually contain 2 seeds. These seeds are what we know as coffee beans.

You will receive a strong, well-branched plant approximately 20 to 30cm high in a 10cm or 12cm pot.