Coffea Arabica (The Coffee Bean Plant) makes for a fairly easy and excellent houseplant or can be grown outdoors year round in zones 9 - 11 and grow to be between 6’ and 11.5’ in maturity, but can be pruned in Spring and to help keep their shape and smaller size. Fast growers, you may want to prune more often. Temperatures between 70 and 80 are ideal, and plants need to be brought inside when the temperature dips below 55 degrees.
Coffee plants like to be in humid, tropical like conditions. Plants should be potted in slightly acidic to neutral soil which should be kept evenly moist, but not muddy. The leaves of the coffee plant will go droopy if the plant is not getting enough water. Plants will need less water in Winter than during the Spring and Summer growing months. Your pot has multiple plants in it that can be grown together or separated into individual pots, just make sure to increase the size of the pot to ensure that it does not become root bound and stop growing.
Great for beginners, coffee plants can tolerate low light and shade. They do not care for bright, direct light and grow in nature under other taller plants that provide them with shade. Too much light and their leaves will burn or brown and they will be unhappy.
During the growing season, fertilize the plant with a weak, balanced liquid fertilizer or mix and not solids that dissolve overtime and cut back fertilizing in the Winter to only once every month or two. Repot in Spring to refresh the soil and allow more room for roots to grow.
With patience, your coffee plants will flower in three to four years, putting off small, white, star shaped flowers that are similar to jasmine and will produce seeds or beans that can be used to plant more coffee bean plants or roasted to make your own coffee.
Coffee plants (other than the mature beans) are toxic to humans and fuzzy pets and should be kept out of reach of both.
If you have any questions or we can be of any help when you get the plant or in the future, please don’t hesitate to ask. Like/follow our Facebook page to see what new plants are available as they get ready throughout the year!
Remember: No care guide is going to be perfect for every situation. Plants in rainy Seattle will have different needs than plants in hot and dry New Mexico. We recommend that all customers read their care guide thoroughly, follow the instructions, listen to what your plant is telling you about what it needs and adjust accordingly.