The Coffea Arabica, often also called "True Coffee Tree" or Mountain Coffee, is an attractive houseplant that brings an exotic and invigorating atmosphere into your home. With its shiny, deep green leaves that glow all year round, this plant adds a touch of tropical plantation flair to any environment. A fascinating feature of this plant is that with good care, after a few years, it can produce small white, jasmine-scented flowers and later real coffee cherries. The wavy leaf edges and intense sheen provide an elegant look that makes it a real eye-catcher.
Typical characteristics:
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deep green, very shiny leaves with wavy edges
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can flower and bear fruit (coffee beans) with good care
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grows upright and slightly woody over time
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ensures a fresh, vital indoor climate
☀️ Location, soil and more.
The coffee plant likes it bright and warm, but does not tolerate direct midday sun. The right location is crucial to ensure that the leaves retain their shine and do not burn.
Location
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bright to semi-shady
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no direct midday sun (morning sun is welcome, however)
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constant temperatures are preferred (not below 15 °C)
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Perfect for bright kitchens, living rooms or conservatories.
🌿 Care of Coffea Arabica – Overview
This plant is a beautiful eye-catcher, but requires a little attention regarding water and humidity. It is suitable for plant lovers who enjoy taking regular care of their green roommates.
🌱 Growth
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upright and bushy growth
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can reach up to 1.5 meters in height indoors (significantly taller in nature)
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forms a woody stem over time
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contributes to a structured and elegant appearance.
🍃 Leaves
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elongated-oval and dark green
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particularly glossy surface (looks polished)
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slightly wavy edges
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Healthy leaves are a sign of good vitality and sufficient nutrients.
💧 Watering / Water
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The Coffea Arabica is quite thirsty and hardly tolerates dry root balls.
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keep soil consistently slightly moist, but not waterlogged
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never let it dry out completely (otherwise leaves will immediately droop)
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ideally water with soft, room-temperature water
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Waterlogging quickly leads to root rot and leaf drop.
🌼 Fertilising
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from spring to autumn: every 2 weeks
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liquid houseplant fertilizer or special citrus plant fertilizer
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reduce fertilizing to every 6–8 weeks in winter
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nutrient deficiency is often indicated by lighter leaves.
🌱 Substrate
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A slightly acidic soil climate is important, as the coffee plant reacts sensitively to lime.
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humus-rich
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well-draining
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pH value in the slightly acidic range (5.5 – 6.5)
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A mixture of high-quality potting soil and rhododendron soil is ideal.
🪴 Repotting
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every year or every 2 years in spring
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Since the roots grow vigorously, the new pot should be chosen a little larger to avoid hindering growth.
✂️ Pruning
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The Coffea Arabica tolerates pruning well if it gets too large.
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shorten excessively long shoots in spring to promote branching
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regularly remove dried or brown leaves
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topping the plant keeps it bushy and compact
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use clean tools.
🌱 Propagating Coffea Arabica
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Propagation requires some patience, but is possible
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by seeds (unfermented, fresh coffee beans) that must germinate at high heat (25 °C)
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or by stem cuttings in summer, rooted under a plastic hood with high humidity.
☠️ Is Coffea Arabica poisonous?
Caution is advised here – the plant contains caffeine.
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toxic to cats and dogs (caffeine is toxic to animals)
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leaves and beans should not be nibbled by pets
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Unlike maranta, it is not a safe option if your pets like to nibble on plants. 👉 Place it out of reach of curious four-legged friends or small children.
🧠 Other care tips
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Coffee plants love high humidity: regularly mist the leaves with soft water to avoid brown tips.
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Brown leaf edges are usually a sign of air that is too dry from heating or water that is too hard.
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The plant likes "warm feet" – do not place the pot directly on a cold stone floor in winter.
✅ Conclusion
With its glossy foliage and exotic flair, the Coffea Arabica is a stylish choice for bright rooms. It requires a little more attention to watering and humidity, but rewards you with vigorous growth and perhaps even your own small coffee harvest. Let this vital plant bring energy into your interior.