Coffee Trees

What Is a Coffee Tree?

A coffee tree is a tropical plant from the Coffea species that produces coffee cherries. Inside each cherry are the beans used to make coffee. These trees grow in warm climates and begin producing fruit after 3 to 4 years.

What Does a Coffee Plant Look Like?

A coffee plant is an evergreen shrub or small tree with glossy, dark green leaves. Mature plants produce clusters of fragrant white flowers followed by small green coffee cherries that ripen to red or yellow, depending on the variety. Inside each ripe coffee cherry are typically two seeds—the coffee beans that are processed, roasted, and brewed. Coffee plants are often pruned to a manageable height on farms, although they can grow much taller in the wild.

Coffee plant with green leaves and ripe coffee cherries

What is Coffea?

Coffee comes from plants in the Coffea genus, a group of flowering plants in the Rubiaceae family. Coffee plants are native to tropical regions of Africa and Asia and can grow as shrubs or small trees.

Coffee trees generally begin flowering about three to four years after planting. Their fragrant white flowers grow in clusters along the branches and eventually give way to coffee cherries. On farms, coffee trees are usually pruned to make cultivation and harvesting easier, although some coffee trees can grow more than 30 feet tall when left unpruned.

Courtesy Wikimedia Commons

Coffee trees can live for many decades and produce fragrant white flowers followed by fruit known as coffee cherries. A typical coffee cherry contains two seeds, which we call coffee beans. Occasionally, a cherry develops a single rounded seed instead of two. This is known as a peaberry. Learn more in our guide to peaberry coffee.  

Photo Courtesy of Perfect Daily Grind

Flowering Coffee Trees

How Many Species of Coffee Plants Are There?

There are more than 100 species of Coffea, but the two most widely cultivated for coffee are Coffea arabica (Arabica) and Coffea canephora (Robusta). Coffee cherries are harvested when ripe and processed to remove the fruit and protective layers surrounding the seeds. Those seeds become the green coffee beans that are eventually roasted and brewed.

Photo Courtesy of Kamweti wa Mutu

Sorting coffee cherries

Wikimedia Commons / Women Coffee Farmers in Kenyan 

Arabica vs. Canephora (Robusta)

The two most common species of Coffea are arabica and canephora, also known as robusta coffee.

Weaver’s Coffee & Tea only uses 100% Arabica coffee.

Arabica is an evergreen native to Africa that has fragrant white blooms that flower from May to June about two years into maturity. While native to Africa, it resulted as a cross of C. Canephora (robusta) and C. Eugenioides. This coffee makes up about 60% of coffee exports, and is the dominant cultivar of the plant. The remaining 40% of exports is robusta coffee.

Robusta also has origins in Africa. It has a larger crop yield than arabica coffee, and is less prone to disease. While it seems like this is the superior coffee tree to grow, the coffee beans that are produced are cheaper, have higher amounts of caffeine and are extremely bitter. Robusta coffee is usually mixed with Arabica coffee in low-grade and cheaper coffees. Arabica coffee, which is more expensive, hand picked and tends to be smoother, and hence preferred by master roasters such as John Weaver.

Both types of coffee will produce very different flavor profiles and we encourage you to find out which type of coffee you prefer.  John Weaver has 44 years of experience as a master coffee roaster, and John and his apprentice coffee roasters, only use 100% Arabica coffee for both our single-origin coffees and our coffee blends. This allows them to hand-roast beautiful coffees and create remarkable depth and body, with an incredible flavor profile and that is balanced and smooth.

From Tree to Cup

Understanding the coffee tree is one part of the story, how it’s roasted is what brings it to life.

Explore coffees crafted from high-quality arabica beans, roasted for balance, depth, and consistency.

How to Grow Coffee Trees  

Coffee plants grow best in warm, humid conditions with well-draining, slightly acidic soil and bright, indirect light. Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged, and protect the plant from prolonged direct sunlight.

Coffee plants can be grown indoors as houseplants, although producing coffee cherries requires patience and the right conditions. A coffee tree typically takes about three to four years before it begins producing fruit.

Coffee Tree FAQs

How long does a coffee tree take to produce coffee?
Coffee trees typically begin producing coffee cherries about three to four years after planting. Production depends on the variety, climate, growing conditions, and care of the plant.

Where do coffee trees grow best?
Coffee trees grow best in warm tropical climates with adequate rainfall, humidity, well-draining soil, and protection from extreme temperatures. Most commercial coffee is grown in tropical regions around the world.

What is the difference between Arabica and Robusta coffee trees?
Arabica (Coffea arabica) and Robusta (Coffea canephora) are the two most widely cultivated coffee species. Arabica is generally known for a smoother, more complex flavor profile, while Robusta typically contains more caffeine and produces a stronger, more bitter cup.

Can you grow a coffee tree at home?
Yes. Coffee plants can be grown indoors in warm, humid conditions with bright, indirect light. Growing a healthy houseplant is relatively achievable, but producing coffee cherries indoors requires patience and favorable growing conditions.

Where did coffee plants originate?
Coffee plants are native to tropical regions of Africa. Coffea arabica is associated with the highlands of Ethiopia and neighboring regions, while other Coffea species originated in different parts of tropical Africa.

Related Coffee Guides

Continue exploring how coffee grows, where it comes from, and how it travels from the coffee tree to your cup.

The Journey of a Coffee Bean: From Seed to Cup
Learn how coffee moves from seed and coffee cherry through processing, roasting, and brewing.

The Top Coffee Producing Countries
Explore the countries and growing regions responsible for producing coffee around the world.

African Coffee
Discover Africa's coffee-growing heritage, important origins, and the characteristics that distinguish coffees from the continent.