Growing Coffee

The coffee plant is a woody perennial evergreen dicotyledon that belongs to the Rubiaceae family. Because it grows to a relatively large height, it is more accurately described as a coffee tree. It has a main vertical trunk (orthotropic) and primary, secondary, and tertiary horizontal branches (plagiotropic). The Coffea Arabica coffee plant is self-pollinating. The Coffea Robusta coffee plant depends on cross pollination. The berries from the coffee tree contain the coffee seeds or "beans" and are produced by several species of small evergreen bush of the genus Coffea.
Coffee Plant Growth and Development

The coffee plant is germinated from the same seed that could be roasted since the coffee beans are indeed the seeds.

The coffee seedling grows into a glossy, green-leafed plant.

A coffee plant usually starts to produce sweetly smelling flowers that emerge in clusters in the axils of the coffee leaves. It is from these flowers that the fruits of the plant (commonly known as coffee cherries) appear, The cherries ripen around eight months after the emergence of the flower, by changing color from green to red, and it is at this time that they should be harvested. In most coffee-growing countries, there is one major harvest a year; though in countries like Colombia, where there are two flowerings a year, there is a main and secondary crop, the main one April to June and a smaller one in November to December.

Fruit is produced only in the new tissue. About 6-8 weeks after each coffee flower is fertilized, cell division occurs and the coffee fruit remains as a pin head for a period that is dependent upon the climate. The ovaries will then develop into drupes in a rapid growth period that takes about 15 weeks after flowering. During this time the integument takes on the shape of the final coffee bean.

After the rapid growth period the integument and parchment are fully grown and will not increase in size. The endosperm remains small until about 12 weeks after flowering. At this time it will suppress, consume, and replace the integument. The remnants of the integument are what make up the silverskin. The endosperm will have completely filled the cavity made by the integument nineteen weeks after flowing. The endosperm is now white and moist, but will gain dry matter during the next several months. During this time the endosperm attracts more than seventy percent of the total photsynthesates produced by the tree. The mesocarps will expand to form the sweet pulp that surrounds the coffee bean.

The coffee cherry will mature and change color from green to yellow, orange or red about thirty to thirty-five weeks after flowing.
Courtesy of Coffee Research.org
Plant -- Bush -- Green Fruits -- Red Cherries
The Coffee Bean

Coffee beans are the seeds (endosperm) of fruits that resemble cherries, with a red outer skin (the epicarp) when ripe. Beneath the pulp (the mesocarp), each bean is surrounded by a pectin layer and a parchment layer (the endocarp). They lie together with their flat sides together. When the fruit is ripe, a thin, slimy layer of mucilage surrounds the parchment. Underneath the parchment the beans are covered in another thinner membrane, the silver skin (epidermis). Each cherry generally contains two coffee beans; if there is only one it assumes a rounder shape and is known as a peaberry. Coffee beans must be removed from the fruit and dried before they can be roasted. Drying can be done in two ways: dry or wet method. When the process is complete the unroasted coffee beans are known as green coffee.
Comparisons of Arabica and Robusta Coffee

.While there are several different coffee species, two main species of coffee are cultivated today. Coffea arabica, known as Arabica coffee, accounts for 75-80 percent of the world's production. Coffea canephora, known as Robusta coffee, accounts for about 20 percent and differs from the Arabica coffees in terms of taste. Although the Robusta coffee beans are more robust than the Arabica plants, it produces an inferior tasting beverage yet with a higher caffeine content. Both the Robusta and Arabica coffee plant can grow to heights of 10 meters if not pruned, but producing countries will maintain the coffee plant at a height reasonable for easy harvesting.
In espresso blends, a small amount of Robusta coffee is typically mixed with Arabica to develop a better complex flavor profile and crema (froth).
Arabica coffee beans are considered to be of higher quality and have a more smoother flavor with less acidity than Robusta beans. Arabica beans typically have 1% caffeine compared to Robusta beans 3%. Arabica coffee beans usually have a lower acidity and a higher sugar content, which results in a sweeter, balanced cup of coffee. Arabica coffee is generally considered to be more desirable and higher-quality than Robusta. Arabica coffee is mostly grown at higher altitudes and in cooler climates, which results in a milder, more distinguished flavor.
Robusta coffee are mostly grown at lower altitudes and in warmer, humid climates. Robusta coffee beans have a more bitter, earthy flavor. Although Robusta is considered to be lower quality than Arabica, it is frequently used in espresso for its higher caffeine content.
In espresso blends, a small amount of Robusta coffee is typically mixed with Arabica to develop a better complex flavor profile and crema (froth).
Arabica coffee beans are considered to be of higher quality and have a more smoother flavor with less acidity than Robusta beans. Arabica beans typically have 1% caffeine compared to Robusta beans 3%. Arabica coffee beans usually have a lower acidity and a higher sugar content, which results in a sweeter, balanced cup of coffee. Arabica coffee is generally considered to be more desirable and higher-quality than Robusta. Arabica coffee is mostly grown at higher altitudes and in cooler climates, which results in a milder, more distinguished flavor.
Robusta coffee are mostly grown at lower altitudes and in warmer, humid climates. Robusta coffee beans have a more bitter, earthy flavor. Although Robusta is considered to be lower quality than Arabica, it is frequently used in espresso for its higher caffeine content.
Coffee Growing Regions and Conditions
Coffee Growing Countries by Rank and Production

Most people perceive the tropics, to which coffee is native, as being hot and humid – but that is not always the case. The best coffee actually comes from the cooler, more temperate environments of the higher mountainous regions within the tropics. Conditions most suitable for coffee growing include: abundant rainfall, mean annual temperature of about 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and well drained, nutrient-rich soils – elements that can be found at a variety of altitudes. Coffee is cultivated at all altitudes from sea level up to the frost level. Lower elevations push the ideal growing conditions to one end of an extreme. In this hot and humid environment, with its excessive year-round rainfall, coffee trees produce fruit almost endlessly with no particular season, as the higher temperatures tend to accelerate ripening. Under these conditions, much of the fruit tends to rot or be eaten by prey before it has the chance to germinate and give life to the next generation of coffee trees. The parent coffee tree’s biological response is to produce an excessive quantity of fruit to overwhelm the adverse conditions, so that a few of the seeds might succeed in becoming the future generation. As a result, lowland coffees lack substance, and the coffee flavor is often harsh, bitter, and dirty, as well as higher in caffeine, and quite undesirable overall. Yet, the tendency of these lowland coffees to be inexpensive and easy to grow makes them ideal for commercial mass production.

In contrast, the higher mountainous elevations are conversely different – stretching the growing conditions to the other extreme. Rainfall is sparse, and the much cooler temperatures at these altitudes slow down growth, causing the beans to mature more gradually and develop more flavor essence. The soils in these rugged mountainous terrains tend to be thinner, and without rich soil there is meager nourishing support for the coffee trees. It is a hard environment for the coffee tree to contend with. In response to these conditions, the trees only produce a small annual yield averaging about one pound per tree every year. Yet, each one of those beans is plump full of valuable essence and coffee flavor. These coffees, because of their low yield nature, tend not to be very abundant. However, their scarcity, along with the special attention required for their cultivation, makes these genuine mountain-grown coffees more costly and more special than the mass-produced, commercial varieties. Wrought from these extreme conditions is a flavor that is worth all the hardship. It is a taste that is often described as rich, deep bodied, well balanced, delicate, aromatic, and overall an excellent coffee.
Also visit the "Economics" tab for more production details by country.
Also visit the "Economics" tab for more production details by country.