Coffee Plant Care Guide: How to Grow a Coffee Plant at Home

The coffee plant, Coffea arabica, is an evergreen, perennially flowering shrub or small tree native to Ethiopia. Coffee beans are the seeds of this plant, which produces small fruits known as cherries. These small, green coffee beans are separated from the fruit, dried, and undergo a roasting process before being used to brew coffee.

Though the coffee trees used for production are grown on tropical, high-altitude hillsides on coffee farms, you can grow smaller, potted versions of these hardy plants at home, which can be easier to care for than most houseplants.

With over 100 different species, the Coffea genus is prolific. The flavor profiles and characteristics of each plant matter less when harvesting beans is not the primary goal, but it can be helpful to know a plant’s origin to care for it properly.

1. 1. Arabica (Coffea arabica): Arabica coffee plant cultivars make up most of the world’s coffee production, and likewise, they’re the most commonly available for home growers.
2. 2. Liberica (Coffea liberica): If you're interested in long-term harvesting, consider a rare liberica plant: Native to Liberia, liberica beans contain more caffeine than other varieties.
3. 3. Robusta (Coffea canephora): Robusta plants are native to sub-Saharan Africa. While they are a common sight in blends, their bitter flavors may be less desirable than the brighter, floral ones of arabica for some coffee drinkers. Many instant coffees are made from robusta.

You can find young coffee plants at some garden centers and nurseries or purchase them from specialty retailers online:

1. 1. Choose the best plant. Look for plants with bright green, glossy leaves without brown spots. If you don’t have time for frequent pruning, ask for certain dwarf varieties of arabica, like Coffea arabica ‘nana.’
   
2. 2. Find a space with indirect light. Coffee plants prefer indirect light rather than direct sunlight. Direct sun will lead to scorched leaves, so place your pots near a window, but not directly in front of one.
3. 3. Prepare the soil. Coffee plants prefer a well-draining acidic soil—around 6.5 is ideal—so add a little sphagnum peat moss to potting soil to increase the pH.
4. 4. Plant. Fill a pot with good drainage (multiple drainage holes) two-thirds full with the soil mixture. Gently loosen the plant from its container and place it in the soil so the top of the roots are just below the new pot’s rim. Cover with potting mix, and gently tamp.
5. 5. Water. Water well to establish the roots. Keep the soil moist, but not soggy, with regular watering. Avoid letting the soil dry fully, because a lack of moisture can be detrimental to the plant’s growth.

The key to growing coffee at home is to evoke the iconic coffee-growing regions worldwide: A humid, tropical mountainside with rich soil and dappled sun.

1. 1. Maintain humidity. Coffee plants grow best in warm temperatures—around 70–80°F during the day—and require a lot of humidity. To help boost the moisture content of the air, mist the coffee plant regularly, invest in a portable humidifier or set it on a pebble tray filled with water.
   
2. 2. Fertilize regularly. Use a weak nitrogen-rich liquid fertilizer every two weeks during the growing season of March through October. Fertilizing will encourage the production of cherries in mature plants.
3. 3. Prune in early spring. Coffee plants, even indoor ones, can grow to 15 feet unless pruned regularly. Even coffee growers keep plants at a more manageable six feet, so don’t worry about being too aggressive with any cuts. In early spring, trim back any tall stems to keep the shape of the plant compact; always make cuts at a 45-degree angle just above where a leaf meets the stem.
4. 4. Repot to encourage growth. Upgrade the pot size each spring to encourage new growth. If you prefer to keep the plant small, prune the root ball and keep it in the current pot.

Coffee plants take around five years to begin fruiting, but if you have more than a few plants, you may be able to harvest enough coffee beans to roast for a serving or two. In the spring, look for aromatic, white flowers. In mature plants, these will be followed by coffee cherries, small red fruits that resemble cranberries.

To harvest your own coffee seeds, pluck the ripe coffee cherries and separate the two coffee beans from each fruit, much like pitting an actual cherry. Discard the fruit, rinse the beans, then spread them in an even layer on a wire rack. Place the beans in a sunny spot and allow them to dry for a week. At this point, you can roast them using your preferred roasting method.

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