Coffee plant care guide

The coffee plant is a small tree with glossy, dark green leaves that ripple at the edges. It is the same plant that grows the coffee you drink. Indoors, it makes a lush, leafy houseplant. After a few years, it may bloom with sweet-smelling white flowers and grow a handful of red coffee cherries.

Light

Give it bright indirect light. An east window is ideal. A spot near a south or west window, out of hot afternoon sun, works too. A few hours of morning sun is fine.

Hot direct sun scorches the leaves and leaves brown patches. In low light, it grows slow and leggy and will not bloom.

Water

Water when the top 2 to 3 cm (1 in) of soil is dry. Water until it drains, then empty the saucer. In winter, it needs water less often.

It droops when it is thirsty and perks up a few hours after a drink. Do not let it droop often. Soggy soil rots the roots. Read how to tell if a houseplant is overwatered or underwatered.

Soil and potting

Use a rich houseplant mix that leans a bit acidic. A mix with peat or coir works well. Add perlite for drainage.

Many store plants hold several seedlings in one pot. You can leave them, or separate them with care in spring. Repot every year or two in spring, one size up. See how to repot a houseplant step by step.

Humidity and temperature

Coffee plants like moist air. Aim for 50% humidity or higher. In dry air, the leaf edges turn brown and crispy. A humidifier helps. Keep it away from heat vents.

Keep it between 18 and 24°C (65 and 75°F), and above 13°C (55°F). Cold drafts blacken the leaf tips.

Feeding

Feed monthly in spring and summer with a balanced liquid fertilizer at half strength. A fertilizer for acid-loving plants also works. Skip feeding in fall and winter.

Pruning

Pinch or cut the top to keep it bushy and a good height. New side branches grow below the cut. Cut back long, bare stems in spring. Cut just above a leaf.

Flowers and coffee cherries

A coffee plant can bloom indoors once it is three to five years old, with bright light. Small, white, star-shaped flowers open in clusters along the stems. They smell like jasmine. Each flower can pollinate itself.

Green cherries follow. They take six to nine months to turn red. Each cherry holds two coffee beans. An indoor plant makes a few cherries at most. It is a fun project, not a coffee supply.

Propagation

Fresh seeds from ripe cherries sprout in one to three months. Peel off the red skin and plant the seed in moist mix.

Stem cuttings also work. Take them from upright stems, not side branches. A cutting from a side branch grows sideways and never forms a tree. Dip the end in rooting hormone, push it into moist mix, and cover it with a clear bag.

Problems

What you see	Most likely cause
Brown, crispy leaf edges	Dry air, or dry soil
Brown patches on leaves	Sunburn
Drooping leaves	Thirst
Yellow leaves and soggy soil	Too much water
Black leaf tips	Cold drafts
No flowers	Too young, or not enough light
Fine webbing under leaves	Spider mites

Pests

Spider mites, mealybugs, scale, and aphids are the most common pests. Check under the leaves and along the stems. Wipe the leaves with a damp cloth every few weeks.

Pet safety

Coffee plant leaves and unripe berries contain caffeine. Caffeine is toxic to cats and dogs. It can cause vomiting, restlessness, and a racing heart. Keep it out of reach.

The ASPCA also lists a plant called “coffee tree” as toxic. That is a different plant, Polyscias guilfoylei.

Varieties

• Coffea arabica is the common coffee plant sold as a houseplant.
• Coffea arabica ‘Nana’ is a dwarf form. It stays small and can bloom younger.
• Robusta coffee, Coffea canephora, has larger leaves. It is less common as a houseplant.