Coffee (Coffee tree) (Coffea Arabica L., Coffea robusta Linden)

Each of us loves to treat ourselves to a small cup of delicious coffee. Some people prefer tart and strong, others prefer sweet, with the addition of milk. Whatever our tastes and preferences, coffee is considered one of the best appetizing and energizing drinks of our time.

Although the homeland of the coffee tree is distant and hot Africa, it can also be grown in our rather cool climate. True, in greenhouses or at home. The coffee plant will please its owner not only with pleasant rich drink, but also with an exotic appearance that harmoniously matches the home interior.

How to effectively grow an indoor coffee plant? Caring for him optimal conditions growth, propagation and transplantation of seedlings - you will find all this in our article.

What varieties are best to plant at home? Where should I start? And what is necessary for rapid growth and abundant fruit ripening? Let's find out.

Suitable varieties

In total, there are about one hundred species of coffee trees, and only fifty of them bear fruits suitable for an aromatic drink. For home grown The Arabica coffee plant is best suited. It is unpretentious in care and bears fruit with edible fragrant grains.

Appearance

The domestic coffee plant differs from its relative, which grows in the wild, primarily in height. In apartment conditions, it grows up to one and a half meters and produces about half a kilogram of small, tart grains per season.

The branches of this evergreen tree are flexible and spreading, the leaves are dark green, pointed at both ends. The home coffee plant blooms with delicate white or cream inflorescences twice a year - in spring and summer.

Small flowers are replaced by small round fruits, their color reminiscent of cherries. Their color range can range from pale pink to burgundy, from yellow to cherry.

Inside these unusual berries there is edible sweetish pulp, as well as several light green grains, which subsequently, after roasting, will take on the traditional dark brown color.

How to grow this exotic indoor plant- Arabica coffee (the care of which scares many amateur gardeners)?

There are two ways to propagate it - through seeds and using cuttings.

Preparing seeds for planting

If you decide to grow a home Arabica coffee plant from seeds, you can either buy them in specialized stores or extract them from ripe fruits. The required number of grains should be prepared according to the following calculation: out of ten seeds, only two or three seedlings will grow.

Since the shell of coffee beans is very strong and hard, you need to follow a few simple but important recommendations:

1. Soak the seed in cold water for two hours.
2. Carefully remove or cut the shell.
3. For five hours, pour the grains with a solution that stimulates growth (“Epin”, “Kornevin”, “Zircon”).

What kind of soil should the seeds be placed in? Let's figure this out together.

Preparation of different types of soil

For better and faster growth of the coffee tree, it is recommended to use loose soil consisting of several types.

If we are talking about the primary planting of seeds and cuttings, then the composition of the soil should be as follows:

• Leaf soil.
• River sand.
• Sod land.

Before planting grains, the soil substrate must be sterilized in a water bath for five minutes.

Seeds must be planted on the surface of the ground, lightly pressing them down.

If all conditions are met, then within a month and a half the first shoots will appear. After the leaves appear, the young seedling can be transplanted into another soil. What should its composition be?

Land for permanent cultivation of a coffee tree must combine the following components, taken in equal quantities: acid peat, humus, leaf soil, sand, charcoal, moss

The seedling should be transplanted into a large pot so as not to interfere with the root system developing and absorbing the necessary elements. This procedure is recommended to be carried out annually during the first three years of the tree’s life. Then it will be possible to transplant it once every three years.

But what if you want to start growing a coffee plant from a cutting?

Preparation of seedlings

The very first and most important condition is that you must very carefully and carefully cut the cutting from an adult tree, and then dip it in water. When the first roots appear, the coffee shoot can be transplanted into the soil (the description of which is given above), deepening it no more than three centimeters.

Planting seedlings is the most reliable way to grow coffee, since the survival rate of shoots is almost one hundred percent, and fruiting occurs the next year.

So, the landing has been completed. Therefore, a completely logical question arises: what conditions must be met in order to grow a healthy and productive tree?

Light and temperature

In order for the plant to take root, it is necessary to observe a certain temperature and light regime. For example, the air in the room should not fall below twenty degrees Celsius, and the coffee pot should be placed on the windowsill on the sunny side.

Light is very important for a coffee tree, so during periods of cold weather, rain, and even ordinary cloudy days, a fluorescent lamp should be directed at the plant.

It is not recommended to turn the tree pot towards the sun's rays. This will improve it appearance, but will negatively affect fruiting. The entire coffee tree should be exposed to warm sunlight.

Watering sprouts

Is anything else necessary for a coffee plant to grow effectively? The care that will be required in the future will not take up much of your time and effort.

First of all, the tree will need high-quality watering. Water for irrigation must be settled and used only when warm (several degrees above the room temperature). Rain or melt water, rich in useful substances and microelements.

During the hot season, Arabica coffee loves weekly spraying, similar to rain irrigation. This feeds not only its root system, but also the stem, leaves and even fruits.

Once a month, during watering, you can add a few drops of vinegar or lemon juice, which will make the soil more acidic, and therefore more fertile for the variety we have chosen.

How often should the plant be watered? This must be done as the soil dries, so that the soil does not dry out. However, in this case, it is important to keep an eye on one more detail: the roots of the tree should not be in constant moisture.

Nutrient feeding of trees

Should you fertilize your coffee plant? Of course, it is recommended to do this regularly, starting from March and ending in September.

Fertilizers are applied once every one to two weeks, which effectively stimulates the growth, development and fruiting of the coffee tree.

What is included in the concept of quality fertilizers? First of all, this is organic matter (water infusion of mullein or humus), as well as mineral fertilizers (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium).

There are several ways to feed a plant with beneficial vitamins and minerals:

• external method (fertilizer is applied to the leaves);
• root liquid (necessary substances are dissolved in water and poured onto the soil);
• basal solid (poorly soluble minerals are applied to the surface of the soil, after which, under the influence of regular watering, they penetrate into the ground and nourish the tree).

What else should you know about caring for your coffee plant?

Susceptibility to diseases and pests

• Fungus. To treat the plant, it is recommended to spray it with specialized antifungal drugs.
• Root rot. To heal a tree, you should get rid of the affected roots and replace the soil in the pot with new one.
• Coffee rust, bean borer. In order to get rid of pests, coffee must be treated with insecticidal agents. In accordance with preventive measures, this procedure can be performed once every six months.

Benefits of the coffee tree

As you can see, caring for a coffee plant is not difficult. To do this, it is not necessary to follow any expensive or unusual measures and procedures.

Just a few principles should be taken into account: the tree loves lighting and a variety of soils, it is quite unpretentious and heat-loving. Therefore, with just a little effort and money, you can grow beautiful, exotic plant, which will decorate your home interior, delight your heart with a pleasant aroma and an amazing drink.

According to some studies, the coffee tree is both an effective oxygen emitter and an effective air purifier from harmful chemical compounds (benzene, phenol, trichlorethylene, formaldehyde).

Moreover, the Arabica plant brings great benefits due to its tart have a nice drink, which has a beneficial effect on the entire human body. Coffee tones and refreshes, invigorates and brings pleasure, improves memory and potency. It is used in medical and for cosmetic purposes for anti-cellulite, anti-aging and scrubbing products.

According to some studies, a properly prepared cup of coffee can help prevent such serious and dangerous disease, How diabetes, nervous disorders, hepatitis.

Of course, it is important not to abuse the drink. One or two servings per day will be enough. Moreover, coffee is contraindicated for children under twelve years of age, pregnant and lactating women, and people with cardiovascular diseases.

You can write poems and fairy tales, poems and novels about coffee! Stories and even music were dedicated to him: for example, Bach, commissioned by one coffee house composed the famous Coffee Cantata, a comic work in which a daughter explains to her father why she fell in love with this magic drink. Many writers and poets were avid coffee drinkers.

Do you know a person who doesn't like coffee? In most cases, he simply never tried a truly, according to all the rules, brewed drink from the best varieties of plants, or did not find his own way of preparing it. After all, the taste of coffee cannot leave anyone indifferent, it is both sharp and gentle, rough and refined, it can be bitter and sweet, for some it smells like smoke and cigarettes, for others it evokes associations of childhood and cream cake. In addition, there are countless options for preparing the drink: espresso, cappuccino, latte, macchiato, etc.

If we return to prose, coffee is one of the most significant trade items today; according to some data, it is even in second place in terms of world sales after oil. Coffee plantations occupy vast areas in the Old and New Worlds, and the volume of coffee exports increases every year. But for an inquisitive person, it’s interesting not just to enjoy the enchanting aroma of a magical drink!

Coffee will not leave anyone indifferent!

A coffee tree quite unpretentious when grown indoors. It requires uniform watering, bright diffused light, high air humidity, and does not tolerate cold well. Coffee is relatively easy to propagate, both from seeds and vegetatively.

Surely, if an inveterate coffee lover is also a botanist at heart, he will have an irresistible interest in the amazing plant, the fruits of which have such a miraculous effect on humans. Oddly enough, the coffee tree is not at all whimsical, it is quite pretty, and its flowers have a wonderful aroma reminiscent of jasmine. In general, growing it in your own apartment will not be difficult for those who are interested in home flora. Nowadays, growing coffee is very fashionable not only here, but even abroad. For those who are not at all used to straining while caring for their pets, some English-language sites sell special sets on germinating coffee beans with instructions for further plant care. Of course, it is unlikely that you will be able to organize a coffee plantation in your apartment and drink individually produced coffee for breakfast every day. But isn't it nice to at least occasionally drink a cup of your own homegrown coffee? In addition, it is incredibly interesting to take part in the magic yourself: to trace how those same mysterious coffee beans that we love to grind in a coffee grinder develop in nature. In general, the home coffee tree is the plant for us! And to grow it, it’s enough to get information about the biology of the plant and become familiar with the not-so-complicated care rules.

Coffee trees in nature (India)

So, science knows about 40 types of coffee, but those plants that are used for growing on plantations belong to one type - Arabica coffee. Of course, I will be corrected that another type of plant is used to produce coffee - Robusta coffee. But, I think, real coffee lovers, when buying a drink in a store, carefully study the packaging and will never buy one that contains even a little robusta. The fact is that this type of coffee tree grows extremely quickly, so the coffee obtained from it is much cheaper, but it is more bitter, has a much less pronounced aroma and a much higher amount of caffeine. In general, the difference, as they say, is obvious. It is Arabica coffee that is grown in the apartments.

At home, a coffee tree can live up to 60-100 years. Grows up to 1.5 m and higher and can become worthy decoration any interior. Of course, selection has not stood still here either: compact plant varieties can be purchased specifically for indoor growing.

Origin

The birthplace of coffee is the Ethiopian province of Kaffa. It is easy to understand how the name of the plant came about.

No less interesting is the history of this drink, which is overgrown with mysterious myths and legends. Probably, most coffee lovers are well aware that the miraculous powers of the plant were first discovered in Abyssinia, on the territory of the Ethiopian Highlands. One shepherd noticed that his goats, chewing the leaves and fruits of the coffee tree, became playful and active. The shepherd tried the coffee himself and was very pleased with the effect. After he reported his discovery to the abbot of the local monastery, the drink began to enjoy great popularity, and already in the 15th century, coffee became widespread in Yemen, and then throughout the Arabian Peninsula. The Arabs were the first to start trading coffee, but for a long time they did not share the seeds and cuttings of the magic tree with the Europeans. However, the cunning Dutch somehow managed to get a scion, they tried to grow coffee first in a botanical garden, and then set up coffee plantations in Indonesia. From then on, Europeans began their own coffee trade.

Coffee plantation

Do you know that the most expensive is Indonesian coffee Luwak. It’s even scary to say how it is produced. Coffee berries are fed to small animals - musangs. Once they have passed through the animal's digestive tract, the coffee beans are dried, roasted and used to make a drink. This coffee costs about $600 for 450 g.

Louis XIV, having tasted the coffee drink, ordered to immediately grow a coffee tree in his own botanical garden. In the 18th century, with great difficulty and adventure, a scion of the coffee tree found its way to Martinique, after which the wonderful plant began to be grown on this island. Finally, the turning point in coffee cultivation was when the ubiquitous Dutch began growing it in the New World. Since the 18th century, after sugar prices fell sharply, coffee cultivation has become one of the most profitable businesses in Brazil. In the 19th century, Brazil took over the world leadership in coffee production. Brazil retains its world leadership in coffee exports to this day, accounting for more than 30% of world coffee trade. Coffee plantations spread very quickly in Colombia, but now this country ranks only third in coffee exports. And on the second is Vietnam. Yes, yes, the climate of Southeast Asia also turned out to be quite suitable for this plant.

Coffee harvesting in Colombia

Needless to say, coffee from each country has its own unique taste and aroma. A true coffee lover must have tried it different types drink, and can easily distinguish Colombian coffee from Brazilian or very expensive variety from the island of Jamaica.

My coffee story

My history of the coffee tree, unfortunately, is not very interesting. I have been growing this plant for a long time, purchasing it as a rooted cutting. There were absolutely no problems with caring for it; it grew perfectly on the eastern window. However, after I changed apartments, I lost track of my coffee. For some time I came and watered the plant, but now I don’t know what happened to it.

Today, coffee is on my list of plants that I am just planning and dreaming of purchasing.

Bloom

Flowering is a key moment in the life of a coffee tree, and fruiting naturally follows. Coffee has rather pretty snow-white tubular flowers, they are located in groups in the axils of the leaves. The flower falls off after about 1-2 days, but the flowers have a wonderful magical aroma. Perhaps even the neighbors will come over to enjoy it. Then fruit ripening begins, which can last up to six months. Because the flowering process itself can last a total of 1-2 months, then the plant very often simultaneously contains flowers and fruits different stages development, and this continues for almost a year.

Typically, a plant obtained from seeds blooms in 3-4 years, and one grown from cuttings already in the 2-3rd year. To stimulate flowering, experienced gardeners sometimes advise giving the plant a little stress: significantly reducing its watering in winter. With the onset of spring, normal watering is resumed, and the plant should soon begin to bloom.

Most coffee tree lovers also agree that excessive watering plays a negative role in fruiting. In this case, the flowering plant may never produce fruit. On one coffee plantation, as an experiment, flowering plants began to be intensively watered, after which their fruiting turned out to be significantly lower compared to a plantation where the moisture regime was normal.

Coffee blossom

Arabica coffee is a self-pollinating plant, so there is no need to worry about pollination at the time of flowering.

Whatever your goal in growing coffee - whether you want to get seeds for propagation or a coffee drink from your own “plantation” - in any case, you should wait until it’s fully grown. seed ripening. The fruits will remain green for about 5 months. Then, after going through the green to red stages, after about 9 months they should become dark brown, almost black and wrinkled. You should be patient and wait for full ripening, because... seeds from such fruits germinate better and taste better when preparing a drink.

Coffee fruit at ripening stage, still green

Ripe coffee berries are removed quite easily, by the way, you can taste them, it is quite pleasant. Usually there are 2 grains inside each berry. First, you need to manually remove all the pulp; this is a rather labor-intensive process. The grains are then soaked in water until the pulp is completely separated, usually for several days until bubbles begin to appear in the water. Then the resulting mucus is completely washed off. Afterwards the grain must be dried, preferably in the sun for 7 days. A sign that the grains are ready is that they can be chewed with your teeth; they are dry on the outside and slightly moist on the inside. This stage is called the parchment stage. Next, you need to remove the outer shell (green skin) on the surface of the grains.

If we want prepare a drink from our “harvest”, after which it is necessary to start roasting. Here, too, special art is required, because... The grains should be roasted evenly. In total, frying lasts about 10 minutes. Sometimes the beans are roasted in the oven, but in this case you should prepare for the smell of coffee to linger in the apartment for a very long time.

The darkest fruits are the ripest ones

Coffee beans Place in an oven preheated to 120 0 C for about 7 minutes. Then increase the temperature to 220 0 C. After ten minutes, the grains should begin to crackle. After this they are mixed. Now every two minutes you need to determine the color of the grains until it reaches a color that is only slightly lighter than the one you want to ultimately achieve. (In the future, as the grains cool, the darkening of the grains will continue).

When grinding such coffee, its aroma will be clearly noticeable, and it will appear even more strongly in the finished drink.

Lighting

The best option for a coffee tree is an eastern window and some direct sun in the morning. However, Western is also quite suitable. If the window is south, then it is better to place the plant not on the windowsill, but near it. It is in this case (near the south window), as the experience of many amateurs shows, that the flowering and fruiting of the plant will be the best. At the same time, in very bright light the coffee tree will be depressed, grow slowly, and burns may even appear on the leaves.

However, even if there is insufficient lighting, the growth of coffee will slow down, and the leaves may even fall off. Although some gardeners observe normal flowering even on north-eastern windows.

In winter, it is very good to use artificial additional lighting using fluorescent lamps for 12 hours. Otherwise, coffee growth will slow down in winter and the plant will go into a dormant state.

During flowering, it is better not to rotate the plant relative to the light source. It is also not advisable to turn too often seedlings coffee, this can even lead to their death.

Young coffee plant

The issue of watering a coffee tree is quite complicated, because... it is the incorrect hydration regime that most often causes main reason problems with him. Most great harm The plant is usually damaged by overwatering. It can cause rotting of the root system, and in best case scenario the plant will begin to lose leaves. When coffee is over-watered in low temperatures, the leaves begin to turn black. Another sign of overwatering is yellowing of young leaves.

Of course, a long-term lack of moisture in the soil is very harmful to the plant. The coffee tree should be watered after the top layers of the soil have completely dried. Of course, everything is very individual, but on average, coffee is watered in the summer about 2 times a week so that the water comes out through the drainage hole. Water for irrigation should be room temperature and soft. To do this, it is useful to periodically add a few drops of lemon juice to it.

Fertilizer

Coffee is fed approximately once every 2 weeks. You can alternate mineral and organic fertilizers. In the first year of life, the tree is generally not fed until it reaches a height of about 25 cm. Then, when it begins to actively grow roots and vegetative mass, it is better to use a complete mineral fertilizer, such as lemon fertilizer. However, when the plant reaches flowering age (2-4 years), fertilizers for flowering plants with a high phosphorus content begin to be used. In this case, in the spring you can use nitrogen-containing complexes and organic matter, and, starting in June, switch to fertilizers for flowering plants, excluding organic fertilizers.

Hygiene and shaping

In most cases, the coffee tree branches well, its pruning is not as important as for other plants. However, it is necessary to periodically shorten side branches that are too long.

The coffee tree, while it is small in size, can be washed in the shower, then the leaves should be wiped regularly.

Coffee tree grown from seed, quite simply forms a standard form even without much outside intervention. During the year it, as a rule, does not branch. In the second year, when the plant has already reached a certain height, dormant buds begin to wake up and lateral branches begin to form. It is believed that the age of a tree can be determined by the number of skeletal branches. Branches that are too long and inward facing are cut off. If you want to get not a tree, but a bush, then you can immediately pinch the apical bud, this stimulates the formation of side shoots.

Coffee aged 2 years. It can be seen that the plant branches independently

The plant obtained from cuttings, forms only a bush-like form; its long branches also need pruning.

Humidity

Coffee prefers high air humidity; keeping it in a tray with expanded clay and regular spraying is beneficial for it: in hot weather, even 2 times a day. You should never spray the plant in the sun to avoid burns and spots on the leaves. One of the signs of insufficient humidity is the appearance of dry edges on the leaves, as well as when the leaves of the plant begin to curl inward.

Temperature

Coffee is a heat-loving plant, optimal temperature for it +18-22 0 C. At temperatures below these limits, the growth of the tree will slow down. It is advisable not to grow coffee at temperatures below +15 0 C. Within a short time the plant will tolerate low temperatures, even up to +8 0 C, but this will be a strong stress for the tree. In addition, its prolonged maintenance in such conditions can lead to the death of the plant, especially if the soil is constantly wet. In general, coffee is one of the first plants to be moved from the balcony in the fall.

The coffee tree does not like drafts; it is better not to ventilate the room where it grows in winter. Even keeping a coffee tree for a short time at sub-zero temperatures will cause the death of the plant. This should be remembered when purchasing it in winter.

In winter, the coffee tree does not need a dormant period. However, to ensure continuous growth of the plant, additional lighting is required for 12 hours a day.

Coffee tree leaves

Substrate

Coffee requires a slightly acidic substrate (pH 5.5-6.5). You can use lemon soil, but the substrate should be a little more acidic than lemon soil, but not as acidic as azalea soil, for example. Therefore, it is good to mix store-bought lemon soil with azalea soil in a 1:2 ratio. Coffee does not like chalky soil. To acidify, peat is added to the soil mixture.

For the mixture homemade You can move leaf and turf soil in equal proportions and add a little peat and sand. The substrate must be permeable and drainage must be used.

There are different opinions regarding the cultivation of coffee in peat and its presence in soil mixtures. Some gardeners complain that negative property peat is that in a peat substrate it is quite difficult to determine the need to water the plant, because peat can accumulate a lot of moisture. It is also not recommended to use pure black peat for planting coffee; it is better to dilute it with sand or perlite. Still, the best option today is to use ready-made substrates for growing coffee from well-known manufacturers. Perhaps it was the wide distribution of soil mixtures with optimal characteristics that caused the widespread and fairly successful cultivation of the coffee tree by many gardeners.

Transfer

Coffee responds quite well to transplantation, although careless handling of the roots can cause severe stress and yellowing of the leaves. Young plants are replanted annually, gradually increasing the size of the pot. Then replanting is carried out once every 2 years as the roots entwine the substrate. For the largest plants, you can only change the top layer of soil.

Difficulties

Although the coffee tree is quite unpretentious, sometimes certain problems arise with it. It is believed that caffeine, which is contained in the leaves of the plant, protects it from damage by pests. However, this protection is obviously not very reliable, because coffee plants they still get sick. The first sign of the appearance of pests is the general depressed state of the plant, lack of growth and flowering, and falling leaves.

Among the most dangerous pests is the mealybug, which looks like a cotton wool-like coating on the shoots and leaves. Quite often, scale insects are found in the form of brown scales on the shoots and the underside of the leaves. Unfortunately, spider mites can live on coffee.

If there are no visible traces of insect activity on the plant, its malaise is usually associated with a violation of agricultural conditions. Sometimes it is very difficult to determine what exactly the plant “does not like”, because... the influence of the same trait can manifest itself in different ways. Let us note right away that the most common causes of problems are insufficient or excessive watering, drafts, cold, rearranging the plant, incorrectly selected substrate, lack or excess of light.

Brown, dry leaf edges usually indicate too much light or too dry air. Excessive lighting causes leaves to lose their gloss.

Drying and wilting of the leaves indicates insufficient watering or, more often, very hot conditions for the plant.

Holes in the leaves occur when there is insufficient light. As a rule, the growth of the plant slows down and it becomes elongated. If the growth does not weaken, the holes may, on the contrary, indicate a sunburn. The first sign of a burn is also the appearance of brown spots on the leaves.

Excessive watering can cause fungal infections, the leaves of the plant turn black or a brown border appears along the edges, and young leaves turn yellow.

A very common problem is blackening of the leaves. As a rule, its cause is the same excess moisture in the soil, especially at low air temperatures. However, sometimes this is a sign of excessive water hardness. Coffee tolerates calcareous soils with low acidity very poorly. Quite often, the depressed appearance of a plant, lack of growth and flowering are associated precisely with an incorrectly selected substrate. Another sign of poor soil is blackening of the tips of the leaves.

The reasons for the appearance of spots on leaves are quite varied. Dry brown spots mostly indicate insufficient watering, but soft spots, on the contrary, indicate excessive watering. Black spots can occur due to drafts or as a result of frequent rearrangements of the plant.

Sometimes corky growths resembling glue appear on young leaves. The reasons for their appearance are also quite varied and are associated with violation of the rules of care. They usually appear as a result of excess moisture, lack of light, or a sudden change in growing conditions. For example, irregular watering, temperature changes. Usually such growths are not dangerous, but they signal the need to change something in caring for the plant.

If an apparently healthy plant only drops lower leaves, this is a completely normal process and occurs as the plant ages. (Mass falling of the upper leaves should alert you).

Often the leaves of a healthy plant become drooping and constantly maintain this state; this is a normal phenomenon. However, more often drooping leaves indicate a long absence of watering. For not very experienced gardeners, this sign serves as a signal for the urgent need to moisten the soil.

Reproduction

Reproduction is one of the most interesting processes when growing coffee trees.

Traditionally, there are 2 methods of propagation: vegetative and using seeds. It is immediately worth noting that coffee seeds They lose their germination very quickly, so for propagation you need to use berries that some amateur gardener shared with you or that you managed to get on one of your travels. The berries should be ripe: black and wrinkled.

The seeds must be extracted from these berries, as already described above (section), then the grains are dried.

They say that commercial green coffee beans can sometimes germinate. Some of them contain a living embryo, which is located in the front of the grain near the fold. Such grains require pre-soaking for 12-24 hours. In this case, you can easily understand which of them are alive: in living seeds, after soaking, a white embryo about 3 mm long will appear in the form of a protrusion in the front part. If the embryo has appeared, such a seed can be planted.

Coffee beans, as a rule, are germinated in a mixture of turf soil, peat and sand, the grain is placed on the surface of the substrate with the flat side down and buried 1.5-2 cm. The temperature during germination should not be lower than +21 0 C. As a rule, germination lasts 30-40 days, but can last up to 2 months or more. Sometimes coffee berries are planted directly into the soil without depriving them of the pulp. In this case, coffee can also germinate, but the process will be longer and more complex, and the remaining skin of the berry will need to be removed from the resulting seedling.

After about 3-4 months, the seedling develops its first 2 leaves, which are not at all similar to the leaves of an adult plant. At the age of 9 months, a small plant is usually already formed, which is better to transfer to a deep enough pot for normal development of the root system. Coffee tree grown from seeds It will bloom no earlier than in 3 years. It is this plant that independently forms a standard form.

Coffee seedling (the first leaves do not look like the leaves of an adult plant)

However, quite often the coffee tree is propagated using cuttings, which are obtained by pruning the plant in the spring. Such plants form bushes and never develop like standard plants. According to most gardeners, such a plant is much more stable and gets sick less often. The main advantage of the vegetative propagation method is that a coffee tree grown in this way will bloom within 2-3 years, even if the cutting was taken from a previously unfruitful plant. The only drawback is that rooting the cuttings is quite difficult and not always successful.

For vegetative propagation, an apical semi-lignified cutting with two pairs of leaves is usually used. According to the observation of flower growers, cuttings that are formed in the lower part of the trunk take root better than those that are cut from the upper side shoots. In any case, it is better to take cuttings from last year's branches, because... they have already developed buds and flowering of plants obtained from such cuttings will occur faster. The cut is made obliquely, treated for 8-12 hours with heteroauxin (but not root): dilute about a quarter of the tablet in a glass of water. Before planting, the cut of the cutting can be powdered with ash. Root the cuttings either in a mixture of peat and sand (or perlite). But according to some gardeners, rooting is better in clean sand, clean perlite or sphagnum. Some hobbyists use the usual soil mixture for growing coffee for rooting, but make a hole in the soil, which is filled with sand, and the cutting is placed in the sand. Cover the stalk glass jar or plastic bag. An important condition successful rooting is based on bottom heating, which can be achieved by simply placing the pot with the cutting on the radiator.

In about a month, a white growth - callus - will appear on the cut, and then after another 1-1.5 months the first roots will appear. After this, as the cutting grows, transfer it to a larger pot.

Toxicity

Of course, the benefits or harms of caffeine are constantly being debated according to the latest scientific research. However, this substance cannot be called poisonous or dangerous.

If on vacation

Before leaving, the plant is watered, placed in a tray with wet expanded clay, the surface of the soil is also sprinkled with wet expanded clay, and the flower pot is placed on the floor away from the window. The plant will survive an absence of 1.5 weeks, but if the departure takes longer, it is advisable to entrust the care of the coffee tree to neighbors.

Photos used from flickr.com

An aromatic, invigorating drink loved by many is prepared from the fruits of the plant.

Ask the experts a question

Flower formula

Coffee flower formula: *H(5)L(5)T5P2.

In medicine

Caffeine is obtained from raw coffee beans. Caffeine is used as a stimulant for nervous fatigue and headaches.

IN medical purposes Coffee charcoal is also used. It is used as a cleansing and absorbent agent for gastrointestinal disorders: poisoning, gas formation, and is also used in the treatment of wounds. In terms of pharmacological activity, coffee charcoal is superior to many other types of medicinal charcoal.

Contraindications and side effects

If you overdose on coffee, you may experience severe symptoms of agitation associated with the effects of caffeine. Abuse of coffee can be as dangerous as excessive use of all stimulants.

As a result, coffee is contraindicated for easily excitable people who suffer from insomnia and rapid heartbeat, as well as people with certain diseases. of cardio-vascular system, peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, and some diseases of the digestive system.

When drinking a large amount of strong coffee drink in a short period of time, even a healthy person can develop symptoms of mild caffeine poisoning. In acute poisoning, severe tinnitus is observed, headache, feeling of fear, confusion of thoughts, anxiety, delirium, convulsions. Chronic coffee abuse leads to increased nervous excitability, insomnia, and unpleasant itchy skin.

For food

To obtain a coffee drink, coffee beans are first roasted at a temperature of 180-200ºС before purchasing Brown. Roasting coffee is important technological process, after which the coffee acquires its bright taste and unique aroma. Many coffee producers consider this process an art. The coffee should not be roasted too quickly and not too slowly. After roasting, the coffee beans turn brown due to the caramelization of the sugar. The roasted coffee is then ground and boiled. There are many ways to brew coffee, but there is one general rule: Coffee should not be boiled. Otherwise, the aroma of this invigorating drink is lost.

Coffee is a nutritious and dessert drink, often consumed with milk, cream, lemon and other nutritious foods. A cup of coffee with cream represents approximately 5% of an adult's daily calorie requirement.

The sweet, edible pulp of coffee fruits is also used in Africa to make coffee drinks.

In cosmetology

In cosmetology, coffee is used for the prevention and treatment of cellulite. There are many anti-cellulite creams and gels, but even at home you can make a scrub that contains ground coffee. Caffeine contained in coffee beans speeds up metabolism and activates blood flow in the subcutaneous tissue.

Coffee is also used for facial skin care. Creams, masks and other cosmetics that contain coffee slow down the aging process of the skin, restore its turgor and make it more elastic.

Many brunettes and brown-haired women rinse their hair with coffee broth. This procedure gives your hair shine and a chocolate tint.

Indoor plant

Very often, Arabian coffee is grown at home as a houseplant. Decorative species of this plant range in height from 50 cm to 1.5 meters. This plant is heat-loving and light-loving, but can easily tolerate semi-dark conditions. Coffee needs to be grown in well-drained, acidic soil. In hot weather, the plant should be watered abundantly and also sprayed. In winter, watering is moderate. Coffee blooms at home within a few hours. This is a self-pollinating plant and after some time it produces fruits.

Classification

The coffee tree belongs to the madder family (lat. Rubiaceaea). There are about 90 types of coffee that grow in Africa, Asia, and America. But only the fruits of two types of plants are used to prepare the drink. From Arabian coffee (Latin Coffea) the Arabica “variety” is obtained, from Congolese coffee (Latin Coffea robusta Linden, syn. C. canephora Piere) the Robusta “variety” is obtained.

Botanical description

The coffee tree is an evergreen shrub or small tree 5-8 meters high (sometimes up to 10 meters). Cultivated plants are shorter than wild ones. The trunk of the plant is covered with grayish-green bark. The branches are long, flexible, spreading or drooping. The leaves of the coffee tree are opposite, short-petioled, leathery, dark green in color. The edge of the leaf is slightly wavy.

The flowers of the plant are yellowish-white, fragrant, located in the axils of the leaves, 3-7 pieces each. The calyx and corolla are regular, five-membered, sphenolate.

Coffee flower formula: *H(5)L(5)T5P2

The plant blooms and bears fruit all year round, starting from the third year after planting. The fruit of the plant is a berry, ripens within 6-7 months. The color of the berries can be dark red, black and blue and even black. Inside the fruit are two flat-convex gray-green seeds, although the color of the grains may vary depending on the variety and location. It is the coffee seeds (coffee beans) that are taken to prepare the coffee drink.

Spreading

Arabian coffee found in the wild in Ethiopia, in the province of Kaffa, growing in river valleys at an altitude of 1600-2000 meters above sea level. Arabian coffee is cultivated in many countries (Indonesia, India, Latin America) and accounts for approximately 90% of the world's coffee plantings.

Arabian coffee does not like the high temperatures of the tropics and therefore is replaced lower, at an altitude of 1200-1500 meters above sea level Congolese coffee (rabusta). This type of coffee is resistant to high temperatures. Congolese coffee is common in the equatorial forests and savannas of the Congo River basin. This type of coffee produces high yields and easily crosses with Arabian. Widely cultivated in Indonesia.

The largest coffee plantations are found in Latin America, especially Brazil. Smaller areas are occupied by coffee in Southeast Asia and Africa. Globally, the area occupied by coffee cultivation is greater than that of tea.

Procurement of raw materials

Coffee seeds (coffee beans) are used as medicinal raw materials. Four-year-old plants are usually harvested by hand. Often the entire population of the province, including children, takes part in collecting coffee.

Robusta coffee fruits are easier to collect, as they do not fall off when overripe and sometimes dry out on the tree. Arabica coffee fruits have to be harvested in several stages as the fruits ripen, with a period of 2 weeks.

Coffee fruits are processed in two ways: dry and wet.

Dry processing most types of coffee are processed, since this method is less expensive. It predates wet processing and has been around since the dawn of the coffee drink. With this processing method, the collected fruits are dried in the sun, stirring occasionally. Then the dried pericarp is removed.

Wet processing used for high-quality coffees. In this case, the pulp is first removed using disk machines. Then the grains are placed in a dark place, where fermentation of the remaining pulp occurs, which is then removed under high pressure of water. As a result, coffee seeds (beans) remain in a thin parchment shell. Then the coffee is dried in the sun or in dryers at a temperature of 50-60ºС, after which the seeds (coffee beans) are freed from the parchment shell. This method allows you to obtain coffee of higher quality, with an aromatic taste.

Received different ways Raw coffee needs to be roasted. After all, it is properly roasted coffee that gives that unique taste and aroma, without which many people cannot imagine their morning.

Chemical composition

In many respects, green raw grains exceed the content of active substances in roasted ones. This is explained by the fact that during frying due to heat treatment many useful substances are destroyed.

Fresh coffee seeds contain: alkaloid caffeine (0.65-2.7%), fat (about 12%), proteins (10-14%), in particular leptin, sugar (7.8-16%), caffeated acids ( 8.4 - 9%), nitrogenous substances (12.6-13%), tocopherols. In roasted grains, the amount of sugars decreases (2-3%), coffee tannic acids also (4-5%), but the amount of fats increases to 15%, nitrogenous substances up to 14%.

Pharmacological properties

It is known that coffee beans contain at least two thousand chemical compounds before they are roasted! Among them is physiologically active caffeine, known for its tonic properties, and the alkaloids of the caffeine group are close in chemical structure to some substances found in the human body, so they are not dangerous to humans even with long-term use in small quantities.

Caffeine has a stimulating effect on the central nervous system. Caffeine intake is accompanied by increased reflex excitability, increased activity of the heart and respiratory organs, increased blood pressure, dilation of cerebral, coronary and renal vessels, as well as increased secretion of gastric juice and other effects. Caffeine helps improve mental and physical performance.

Green coffee can be used for weight loss. The leptin protein is found in fairly high concentrations in unroasted grains and quickly disappears during heat treatment. Leptin is credited with the ability to suppress the feeling of hunger and the ability to influence the feeling of fullness. Scientists call this compound the “satiety hormone.”

The valuable substances of green coffee are lost during long-term storage, as well as when exposed to light or heat.

Green tastes good coffee beans herbaceous, astringent, some find it sour and unpleasant. Ground green grain used to prepare a drink with unusual taste and devoid of a characteristic odor. This coffee stimulates metabolic processes and supplies the body with substances, in the presence of which fat breakdown occurs faster. The use of raw coffee beans for food has been known since 1591. Initially, infusions were prepared from them and used for headaches, migraines, fever, loss of strength, and to improve digestion.

The tonic properties of coffee are most clearly manifested in people suffering from asthenia, hypotension, and constant fatigue. One or two cups of coffee relieve fatigue and drowsiness, increase performance, activate memory and thinking processes.

Coffee also has a beneficial effect on poisoning. Plant tannins provide positive action on the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines, deposit and promote the removal of residual toxic substances.

Use in folk medicine

The first information about the use of coffee in Europe dates back to 1591.

Raw grains in the form of an infusion are used for fever, whooping cough, headaches, catarrhal conditions, gout and arthritis.

Roasted coffee has found wider use. Strong coffee together with lemon juice it is used for malaria. To improve digestion, coffee is prescribed for various poisonings, diarrhea. Coffee is also taken for some functional nervous disorders and migraines. Coffee is used as a tonic to relieve energy loss.

The coffee drink was used to relieve headaches during menstruation and to stop vomiting in pregnant women.

Historical reference

The effect of coffee on the nervous system was first noticed by Ethiopian shepherds. They noticed that if goats and sheep ate fallen fruits from wild coffee bushes, they would not sleep at night. The birthplace of coffee is the Kafa province, which is located in Ethiopia. It is believed that the name of this province gave its name to the aromatic drink. According to another version, the word “coffee” comes from the Arabic word “kahfa”, which means “stimulating”. The coffee drink was known in Arabia and Persia in 875 AD. The first coffee plantations appeared in Yemen. In the beginning, coffee was a Bedouin drink and did not go beyond the Arab East. Back in the 15th-16th centuries, Arabia remained the only country where coffee was consumed. From Syria, coffee entered Turkey. There, in 1554, the world's first coffee shop was opened in Constantinople. In Europe, they first learned about the coffee tree in the 16th century, and the first bags of coffee were brought from Turkey in 1615. Only in the second half of the 17th century did coffee become widely recognized in Europe and in 1652 the first coffee shop appeared in London. From England, coffee spread to Holland, and from there to Germany. Coffee came to Russia in 1665. In the 18th century, coffee was known in most European countries. However, for a long time, Europeans were forced to buy coffee beans in Arab countries, where coffee was introduced into culture. Later, coffee plantations appeared in tropical Africa, Java, Singapore, and hot regions of Australia. In the 19th century, Italian Capuchin monks planted the first coffee tree near Rio de Janeiro, and within a few decades Brazil became the main supplier of coffee in the world. In the 20s of the twentieth century, a competitor to Brazilian coffee appeared on the world market - coffee from Colombia.

Literature

1. State Pharmacopoeia of the USSR. Eleventh edition. Issue 1 (1987), issue 2 (1990).

2. State Register medicines. Moscow 2004.

3. Sokolov S.Ya., Zamotaev I.P. Handbook of medicinal plants (herbal medicine). – M.: VITA, 1993.

4. Mannfried Palov. "Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants". Ed. Ph.D. biol. Sciences I.A. Gubanova. Moscow, "Mir", 1998.

5. Nosov A. M. Medicinal plants. – M.: EKSMO-Press, 2000. – 350 p.

6. Formazyuk V.I. "Encyclopedia of food medicinal plants: Cultivated and wild plants in practical medicine." (Ed. N.P. Maksyutina) - K.: Publishing House A.S.K., 2003. - 792 p.

7. Muravyova D.A. Tropical and subtropical medicinal plants: 2nd ed. reworked and additional – M.: Medicine, 1983, 336 p.

8. Sklyarevsky L.Ya. Healing properties of food plants. - M., Rosselkhozizdat, 1975 - 272 p.

A COFFEE TREE
coffee (Coffea), a genus of evergreen shrubs or small trees in the madder family (Rubiaceae). Counts approx. 40 species, of which 19 are commercially important, but only three - the Arabian (C. arabica), Liberian (C. liberica) and powerful (C. robusta) coffee trees - produce export coffee beans used to prepare the popular tonic drink coffee . Its name comes from the Arabic word "qahwa", meaning "wine". The bulk of coffee beans on the world market are seeds different varieties Arabian coffee tree. This is a shrub or tree 4.5-6 m high from the tropics of Asia and Africa. In cultivation, it is cut to a height of 1.8-2.7 m to facilitate harvesting. The bark is thin, gray; leaves are opposite, dark green, glossy. Fragrant white flowers, similar to jasmine flowers, are collected in groups in the axils of the leaves. The fruits are elliptical red or violet-blue berries with a thin layer of sticky, juicy, sweet pulp and two seeds adjacent to each other on their flat sides. They are covered with a thin silvery peel and a parchment shell: these covers, along with the pulp, are removed before roasting the seeds. Abnormal single-seeded fruits, called "man berries" or "peas", usually develop at the ends of branches. Different types of coffee beans vary in caffeine content, which ranges from 0% for the humboltiana variety from Grande Comore to 2.9% for the "Extra Medellin" variety grown in Colombia. It takes about one and a half coffee beans to prepare one cup of drink. The basic chromosome number of the genus Coffea (n) is 11. Diploid (n = 22) and tetraploid (n = 44) species of this genus are also known. Through hybridization it turned out to be possible to obtain various combinations of hereditary properties.

ARABIA COFFEE TREE

FRUITS OF THE COFFEE TREE- berries that change their color as they ripen from green to red, and then to dark crimson. The picture shows a Liberian species. It is better adapted to the tropical climate and is considered less capricious and more productive than Arabian, which produces the bulk of commercial coffee.

History of coffee. According to legends, the drink coffee appeared in Arabia before the 13th century. They say that one Arab mullah, having noticed how goats, having eaten the leaves and berries of the coffee tree, began to jump excitedly over the hills, began to give an infusion of coffee beans to his students so that they would not fall asleep during evening prayer. In the 16th and 17th centuries. coffee spread to Persia, Turkey, Europe and America. This drink began to accompany many ceremonies. Some peoples serve coffee as a sign of hospitality. Bedouins pour four sips into a cup as a sign to the guest: “Drink and leave.” In the East, coffee houses surpassed mosques in popularity and were banned in some places. First European country Italy started drinking coffee. Soon after, "cafes" appeared throughout Europe. Charles II closed 3,000 coffee shops in England, calling them “rebel schools,” but within a few days he was forced to revoke his edict under pressure from public opinion.
Cultivation. The "coffee belt" corresponds to a strip approximately 20° wide on each side of the equator and extends from 0 to 1520-1830 m above sea level. The coffee tree grows best and produces beans of the highest quality at an average annual temperature of 20° C and an annual rainfall of 1000-1800 mm. Plants grown from selected seeds begin to bear fruit at the age of five, and produce the best harvest at 8-15 years. Each tree produces 0.45-3.6 (in exceptional cases up to 5.4) kg of grains per year. Some specimens continue to bear fruit up to a hundred years of age.
Collection and processing. The fruits of the coffee tree are harvested by hand: combing the branches with a special comb or plucking one berry at a time. The time and synchronicity of their maturation depends on temperature. In Brazil, the harvest sometimes lasts from May to September. The availability of water determines whether grains are cleaned using the “dry” or “wet” method. The second of them is economically preferable: the fruits are soaked overnight in tanks, and then sent along with water for mechanized “peeling” by friction. After this, the remaining slimy pulp is fermented in other tanks and washed off. The grains, still covered with a parchment shell, are dried for 10 days in the sun (taking them indoors at night) or 24 hours with hot air (this allows for better control of the process). Then the parchment and silver shells are peeled off by friction and the grains are sorted by size. Green beans lack a pleasant taste, so they are roasted to create the aromatic oil caffeol. Coffee beans can be decaffeinated with organic solvents such as methylene chloride or ethyl acetate, hot water or steam. In practice, it is customary to extract approximately 97% of the caffeine from them. After the decaffeination agent is removed, the beans are dried, roasted, sold as such or ground, or further processed into instant and freeze-dried coffee, which are obtained from a concentrated ground extract. In the case of regular instant coffee, water is removed from the extract by evaporation in a spray dryer; in the case of lyophilized coffee, by freezing and sublimation. Coffee beans are very sensitive to oxygen, so they are best consumed immediately after roasting and grinding, but if adequately packaged, they will retain high quality at least a few months. In some places it is customary to add chicory to ground coffee.

RIPED COFFEE TREE BERRIES always collected by hand. Each one usually contains two seeds called coffee beans.

Products. At the end of the 17th century. The Dutch introduced the coffee tree to Java, thereby laying the foundation for the East Indian coffee trade. Nowadays the coffee tree is also grown in many countries of the Western Hemisphere. There are between four and five billion coffee trees in South America; most of them are the offspring of seedlings introduced to the island of Martinique at the beginning of the 18th century. the Frenchman Declier, specially sent there for this purpose by Louis XIV. Deklie was so zealous about his mission that he saved most of the trip on water - just so that the plants would survive. From Martinique, seedlings came to French Guiana, and in 1722 to the Brazilian state of Pará. At the end of the 18th century. The Belgian monk Molke brought coffee seedlings to Rio de Janeiro. The coffee tree is grown in almost all tropical and subtropical countries. The largest producers are Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Mexico, Guatemala and India.
Usage. The main product obtained from coffee beans is a drink, i.e. actual coffee. In recent decades, the share of instant coffee consumed in the United States and other economically developed countries has fallen sharply. This is associated with a change in the taste standards of the population and fear of widespread surrogates. At the same time, there was a decrease in the share of consumed decaffeinated coffee. People have become less afraid of the harmful effects of caffeine, and in addition, there are reports that even decaffeinated coffee increases cholesterol levels in the blood. Coffee is also used as a flavoring component in baked goods, ice cream, candies and liqueurs.
Physiological action. Although coffee contains various biological active substances, its main physiological effect is caused by the alkaloid caffeine. Chemically, it is trimethylated xanthine, or 1,3,7-trimethyl-2,6-dioxypurine. It quickly oxidizes and is partially demethylated in the body, is excreted in the urine and does not accumulate in tissues, so its effect on the nervous and other systems is short-lived.

Collier's Encyclopedia. - Open Society. 2000 .

Synonyms:

See what "COFFEE TREE" is in other dictionaries:

Coffee tree Coffee tree on a Brazilian plantation Scientific classification ... Wikipedia

A coffee tree- Coffee tree: fruits. COFFEE TREE (coffee), a genus of evergreen trees and shrubs (madiaceae family). About 40 species, in the tropics and subtropics of Africa and Asia. There are 4 5 species in cultivation, of which 90% of the area is occupied by the coffee tree... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

Coffee (Coffea), a genus of plants of the family. Rubiaceae. Evergreen or deciduous trees and shrubs with opposite, entire leaves. The flowers are 5-7-membered, with a funnel-shaped white corolla, fragrant. The fruit is a berry, red or violet-blue, diam. 1 1.5 cm... Biological encyclopedic dictionary

Growing a coffee tree is a rather labor-intensive process. Much of the plantation work is often done by hand to produce high-quality beans with high flavor and aromatic properties. Lovers of an exquisite invigorating drink will be interested in learning how coffee grows and where it is grown.

The plant is grown on plantations located on high mountain slopes at an altitude of 1000 to 2500 m. The process itself consists of the following stages:

1. The seeds are processed and then placed in containers for germination. After 10 weeks, sprouts appear.
2. When the seedlings reach 5 cm in height, they are transplanted into capacious containers and transferred to the greenhouse. Some farmers refuse greenhouses, believing that planting directly in open ground hardens and strengthens the plants. They plant the sprouts in areas protected from wind, rain and hot sun by tall trees.
3. The coffee tree remains in the greenhouse for 6–12 months. During this time, it grows to 30 cm or higher, after which it is moved to a permanent place - a well-lit area sheltered from the wind, where Sun rays will fall on the seedlings at an angle.
4. The first flowering of a young plant begins in the third year of its life. The flowers are white, similar to jasmine. The fruits do not always set during the first flowering; sometimes the berries may appear only after a year.
5. The flowering period is very short - no longer than 2 days. Then the petals fall off and fruits set. Outwardly, they resemble cherries: they have the same color, shape and size.
6. The coffee tree produces a full harvest at the age of 5 years. Clusters of berries, colored purple or red, ripen.
7. The ripening of fruits of some varieties lasts 8 months, others – up to 11. Coffee is harvested in different time year, it depends on the place of cultivation: Brazil - from May to September, Central America - from October to March, Africa - from late October to April.
8. The growth of trees can reach 9 m, and for ease of harvesting they are pruned to 3 m.
9. The coffee tree produces its maximum yield from the 8th to the 15th year of cultivation, after which its productivity decreases, but it continues to produce fruit until the age of fifty.

coffee tree flower

The berries consist of a peel, pulp and a capsule containing 2 grains. Sometimes single-seeded berries may also be found.

Green coffee berries

1 coffee tree produces from 0.4 to 4 kg of grain, less often – 5 kg. Plants grown in an equatorial climate can produce up to three harvests per year.

Opened coffee cherry and two coffee beans

Coffee is harvested using two methods - manual or machine. The manual method is labor intensive, but the build quality is the best. It allows you to pick only ripe fruits, since berries on the same plant do not ripen at the same time. To get 500 g of finished raw materials, you need to collect 2500 g of berries. The work continues every day until all the berries are ripe. Most of the world's coffee crop is harvested by hand.

Picked coffee cherries

The machine method is simpler - a special harvester drives through the coffee bushes and shakes off all the berries. After this, manual sorting of the fruits will be required. Typically, the machine method is used on flat soils and in countries where the coffee cherries ripen at approximately the same time.

Under what conditions does coffee grow?

Large yields and high taste qualities of the product are obtained from plants grown under certain conditions.

The coffee tree grows best in:

1. Soft, oxygenated soil, acidic environment. Plantations where coffee is grown are located on high mountain slopes with soil of volcanic origin.
2. Stable climate. Sudden temperature changes are detrimental to this plant, which is why the coffee tree is grown only in the equatorial zone.
3. An environment with a certain level of humidity. The optimal precipitation rate is from 3000 mm/year.
4. Located high above sea level. The quality of the resulting raw materials depends on this parameter. The best are grown on plantations located at an altitude of 2000 m above sea level.
5. Warm weather. Plants prefer a certain air temperature: 18 to 23 °C is considered ideal, and 13 to 27 °C is acceptable. Hot weather accelerates the ripening of berries, which deteriorates the taste of the grains.
6. Abundant lighting. There is a nuance: direct sunlight should not fall on the plant, the lighting should be diffused. Therefore, plants are planted in areas shaded by taller trees with dense foliage.

The coffee tree is susceptible to diseases, the most dangerous of which is rust. This fungal disease destroys crops and can ruin plantings.

Where are coffee trees grown?

Main coffee growing countries. Click to enlarge.

Despite the fact that various producing countries are indicated on the packages (from France to Russia), the grains are collected only in those located along the equator. Coffee itself is not grown in Italy, Portugal and other countries, but is only produced from purchased raw materials.

The birthplace of the drink is Ethiopia. It has been used here since the 9th century. Gradually, the area where coffee trees are grown has increased, and now the main large suppliers of raw materials for preparing the drink are: Central and South America, Africa, and southeast Asia.

Central and South America

South America:

1. Brazil. The leader in coffee production in the world, it supplies almost 1/3 of the total volume of beans. A wide variety of varieties are grown here, with excellent taste properties. Raw materials produced in Brazil have another advantage - affordable price.
2. Colombia. In the world coffee market, the products of this country account for almost 15% (slightly more than 10 million bags of beans).
3. Peru. Approximately 3-4 million bags of raw materials come from here every year. Coffee grown in Peru is less well known than that produced by Colombia or Brazil.

The coffee tree is also grown in:

• Ecuador;
• Paraguay;
• Suriname;
• Trinidad and Tobago;
• Venezuela;
• Guiana;
• Guyana;
• Bolivia.

Central America supplies raw materials used mainly for mixtures for coffee machines:

1. Honduras. Produces almost 5 million bags of raw materials.
2. Mexico. The country grows coffee, the main consumer of which is the United States. The approximate annual harvest is 4 million bags.
3. Guatemala. Second to Mexico, 3.5 million bags of coffee enter the world market every year.

Smaller producers in this region:

• Belize;
• Haiti;
• Puerto Rico;
• Nicaragua;
• Salvador;
• Cuba;
• Dominican Republic;
• Costa Rica;
• Panama;
• Jamaica.

It is worth noting that almost half of the world's coffee beans are harvested in South and Central America.

Asia

The volume of coffee supplied by Asian countries is constantly increasing. The cultivation of raw materials for the drink is carried out by:

1. Vietnam. From here, up to 30 million bags of robusta and arabica are supplied annually, mainly used for the preparation of mixtures and blends.
2. Indonesia. This country's contribution is 10 million bags, most of which is robusta. Products from the islands of Java, Sulawesi and Sumatra are highly valued. The latter is grown elite varieties, characterized by a refined and bright taste. Also from Indonesia comes a special - expensive - Kopi Luwak variety.
3. India. 5 million bags of Arabica and Robusta are used to prepare blends. In addition, they grow unique varieties that have an original taste. To process grain, they use a special technology, which was later adopted by other manufacturers.

Other producing countries from this part of the world:

• Philippines;
• Yemen;
• Laos;
• Malaysia;
• Thailand;
• China;
• Cambodia;
• Myanmar;
• East Timor.

Africa

Africa produces less coffee than South and Central America, but all products entering the world market are of consistently high quality:

1. Ethiopia. The quantity of raw materials supplied by the country varies from 6 to 7 million bags. The grains grown here are some of the best. Since coffee is grown here naturally, without cultivation, the products are considered organic.
2. Uganda. 4 million bags of robusta used for blending are supplied from here annually.
3. Cote d'Ivoire. Here, a harvest of up to 2.5 million bags is obtained every year. Most of the products are made from robusta (from here the raw materials for production are purchased instant drinks Nescafe company). Almost a quarter of a century ago, the volume of grain supplied to the world market was comparable to Colombia and Brazil, but in recent years the amount of exported goods has decreased significantly.

African girls sorting coffee berries

The following countries on this continent make a more modest contribution to the world coffee harvest:

• Kenya;
• Mali;
• Botswana;
• Cameroon;
• Zambia;
• Congo;
• Madagascar;
• Angola;
• Zimbabwe;
• Tanzania.

Other countries

Coffee also grows in Australia, but the harvest here is small. The Australian climate is considered suitable for the plant, but the air there is too dry, which is why it is not possible to obtain a large number of fruits. In Australia, where coffee production began relatively recently, a mechanized method is used for harvesting, which distinguishes it from the bulk of grain producers, where they still use manual harvesting.

Does coffee grow in Turkey, Armenia, Italy or Russia? No, these countries only produce mixtures from ready-made raw materials - the climate does not allow growing coffee trees.

By learning where coffee is grown and which countries supply the best products, you can learn to understand drinks and appreciate new varieties.