How to care for coffee flowers?

The coffee flower is also an excellent houseplant, although it is often considered a commercial plant because coffee is made from the beans of its fruit. The coffee flower is known to be very durable as a houseplant and can be cared for by both beginners and experienced people. The coffee flower, which is very easy to care for, is a good choice for decorating the home with its lush flowers and raspberry fruits.

The most important factors for growing coffee flower, a tropical climate plant, at home are indirect sunlight and frequent watering. Although the leaves of the plant can be damaged by direct sunlight, a bright environment is essential for the coffee flower to remain healthy and vibrant. Similarly, since the plant’s growing environment has a high humidity, it is necessary to water the coffee flower regularly and not allow the soil to dry out completely.

You can read everything you want to know about the coffee flower and the tricks to pay attention to when caring for your coffee flower in this article.

What is coffee flower?

The coffee flower is a plant with bright green leaves that doesn’t grow too much. The coffee flower, which is native to Ethiopia, blooms in the spring and these flowers begin to slowly bear fruit in subsequent periods. These fruits contain coffee beans that are used to make coffee. Although the coffee flower grows as a medium sized tree in its natural environment, it will not grow much when pruned indoors. Although the coffee flower is a fast flowering plant, it may take several years before the plant produces flowers and fruits.

The general characteristics and needs of the coffee flower are as follows:

botanical name: Arabica coffee

Family: Roots (madder)

Type: perennial

Dimensions achieved in adulthood: 1.5-4.5 meters high, 1.5-4.5 meters wide in the natural environment.

Solar request: Partial

Soil request: Wet

soil pH: sour

Flowering period: Spring

flower color: White

Source: Africa

Toxicity: Toxic to humans and pets

How to care for a coffee flower

To create the best conditions for growing coffee flowers, it must be taken into account that the plant grows in its natural environment on mountain slopes and in a tropical climate. To do this, it is important to provide the plant with well-drained and slightly acidic soil, high humidity and relatively cool air. If the climate you live in meets these conditions, you can grow coffee flower in the garden. However, if it is not possible to provide these conditions, you can look for coffee flowers indoors. You can place the flower pot on a windowsill away from direct sunlight to enjoy the coffee flower indoors. You can water at least once a week to keep the soil moist.

Points to pay attention to when growing coffee flowers indoors and outdoors are as follows:

light need

The coffee flower loves bright places with lots of sunlight. For this reason, you can place the plant pot a few meters from the windowsill. However, you should pay attention to indirect sunlight, as direct sunlight can burn the leaves of the plant.

need for water

The coffee flower is a plant that weakens if watered too little. For this reason, you must ensure that the soil for coffee flowers is always slightly damp. Soil moisture can be controlled with a finger. Even in winter, you need to water the plant at least once a week to prevent the soil from completely drying out. Irrigation in large quantities at once can cause the plant to not fully absorb water and cause root rot. For this reason, you must be careful not to let the soil get too wet when watering your plant.

Soil Requirements

The coffee flower prefers nutrient-rich and well-drained soils. Because the soil needs to be acidic for coffee flower development, if your plant is having growth problems, you can use organic materials like peat moss to lower the pH of the soil.

temperature requirement

The coffee flower is a plant of hot and tropical climates. Therefore, if the ideal daytime temperature for a plant is 20-27°C, then the ideal nighttime temperature is 18-20°C. While warmer temperatures can increase the growth rate of a plant, they are not ideal. The fruits of the coffee flower should develop at a slow and steady pace.

moisture requirement

Since the coffee flower grows on the slopes of mountains in a tropical climate, it needs moist conditions. For this reason, a moisture content of 50 percent or more will suffice for a coffee flower. If the air is too dry, the edges of the leaves may turn brown. In this case, you can spray the plant daily with water to increase the moisture level.

Need for fertilizer

You can feed your coffee flower with a liquid fertilizer every two weeks during the growing season. In winter, you can fertilize once a month.

How to propagate a coffee flower?

You can propagate a coffee flower by cutting an existing plant. To propagate your plant from cuttings, you can follow these steps:

Select and cut off a shoot about 20-25 cm. Leave a couple of leaves at the top, and tear off the rest.
Plant the cut part in a pot and lightly moisten the soil.
If you feel resistance when gently pulling the plant, it means the roots have formed.

How to grow coffee flower from seeds?

You can also propagate a coffee flower using seeds from your existing plant. Coffee flower berries should be picked when they turn bright red.

Having collected the fruits, you can get to the core by scraping off the fleshy part. You can wash the beans to completely remove any residue and leave them outside for a few weeks to dry completely.

After the seeds are dry, soak them in water for 24 hours and remove those that are floating in the water. Plant the seeds in moist but well-drained soil. If you water the soil daily, you will see the seeds germinate in two to four months. Once germinated, you can carefully remove the seedlings and plant in well-drained, acidic soil.

How to make a coffee flower bloom?

Coffee flower is a beautiful plant with lush leaves, delicate white flowers and raspberry berries. However, if the right conditions are not created, it may not work to see the beautiful flowers of the plant. If your plant is not flowering, you can encourage flowering by paying attention to the following points.

Sun Ray

You need to make sure your coffee flower is getting enough sunlight. Although the coffee flower does not like direct sunlight, the room in which it is located should be bright. A shade plant may not have enough energy to bloom. For this reason, you may choose to place your plant next to an east-facing window, or a few meters outside a south- or west-facing window.

Irrigation

As a tropical climate plant, the coffee flower loves the rain as much as the sun. For this reason, plants that are not watered enough may not bloom. For this reason, the soil should not be allowed to dry out completely between waterings. You need to make sure the soil is slightly dry before watering, as over-watering as well as under-watering can cause the plant to fail to flower.

Heat

Temperatures between 18-27°C are ideal for coffee flowers. In very cold weather, the plant may not be able to develop and bloom. For this reason, you should try to keep the plant warm, just above room temperature. You should not underestimate the importance of indirect sunlight and heat for flowering.

Timing

The coffee flower may not bloom even if there are no problems. This is due to the fact that the flowering of the plant is very slow. It may take 3 to 5 years for the plant to mature and start flowering.

How to care for coffee flowers?

What is coffee flower?