The plant’s characteristics

This small tree or bush – whether spontaneous or cultivated – is an evergreen classified within the Coffea genus in the Rubiaceae family. It produces fruit and grows in tropical regions.

There are more than sixty species of coffee plant, almost all of which originating in Africa – in the Caffa region of Ethiopia and Sudan. The best known species is Coffea Arabica. As well as being the most highly prized species, it is also the most widespread – approximately 4/5 of all coffee consumed worldwide comes from Arabica beans, which are deemed to be of the highest quality.

Depending on the species, the coffee tree can grow to between 3 and 15 metres in height. Cultivated trees, however, are kept to a maximum height of 3 metres by pruning to make harvesting the fruit easier.
The leaves, which are similar to the leaves of the laurel bay bush growing in our gardens, are arranged on opposite sides of the branch and are a dark glossy green on their upper sides and a lighter, matte green on their undersides.

The flowers grow in groups of 5-7 and are white in colour, with a scent similar to jasmine. If the location and climate are favourable, the coffee plant may blossom and fruit more than once a year.

The fruit begins to appear after blossoming, which lasts one or two days. The fruits are initially yellow and green, and turn a dark cherry red colour as they ripen, which is why they are also known as ‘cherries’.
The skin and pulp of the cherries are removed to leave two seeds, each one of which is encased in a membrane known as the ‘parchment’, and in a thin silvery film.
The seeds are usually identical and uniformly sized. They are flattened in shape with a longitudinal groove on the concave inner side, while the outer side is convex.