GARDENER'S READING ROOM
Edibles
Indoor Plants

Bean to Brew: Coffee as a Houseplant

Coffea Arabica may try your patience for six, or even ten, years before you brew that first pot of "homegrown" coffee. In the meantime, this tropical evergreen shrub will provide year-round enjoyment with its dark shiny leaves, fragrant white flowers, and bright red berries.

Coffea Arabica is indigeneous to Ethiopia, which is still considered one of the finest commercial producers. Wild plants can grow well over 10 feet tall. They welcome a measurable amount of rainfall, tolerate fairly low temperatures, and prefer light shade. Indoors we can expect the coffee tree to achieve 7 feet in several years (with occasional trimming). Coffee plants appreciate fast draining soil kept moist but not soggy. Give it filtered sunlight, humidity, and temperatures between 65 & 70° F, and summer vacations outdoors if possible. Encourage your plant by feeding it with a balanced water-soluble fertilizer such as 20-20-20 from spring to fall. After several years, your tree will reward you with white blossoms with a jasmine-like scent, followed by berries ripening in stages from green to red or purple. Harvesting and roasting only the ripened berries can be an arduous process—let's leave it to the cultivators!

While coffee is a relatively easy houseplant for the average Seattle home, this Java Junkie has gained a new appreciation for that aromatic cup of Nirvana.

By Cheryl Gere
Skylights Spring 2007 Vol 22, No. 1

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