How do coffee beans grow?

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How do coffee beans grow?

The origin of the coffee tree is Ethiopia in Africa. In botany, coffee trees belong to the evergreen trees of the subgenus Rubiaceae, and coffee beans, commonly known as coffee beans, are the seeds of the fruit of coffee trees, just because they are shaped like beans, so they are called coffee beans.

Climate is the decisive factor for coffee cultivation. Coffee trees are only suitable for growing in the tropics or subtropics, so the zone between latitude 25 degrees south and north is the most suitable for growing coffee. This coffee production zone is generally referred to as "coffee belt" or "coffee area".

However, not all the land located in this area can cultivate good coffee trees. The ideal planting conditions for coffee trees are: a warm climate with a temperature of 15-25 ℃, and a rainfall of 1500-2000 mm throughout the year, and the rainfall time should be consistent with the flowering cycle of the coffee tree. Of course, in addition to the coordination of seasons and rainfall, there should be fertile soil. The most suitable soil for growing coffee is a well-drained, fertile soil containing volcanic ash.

In addition, although sunlight is an indispensable element for the growth and fruiting of coffee, too strong sunlight will affect the growth of coffee trees, so various producing areas will usually cooperate with the planting of some sunshade trees. generally plant higher trunk plants such as bananas, mangoes and legumes. The ideal altitude is 500-2000 meters above sea level. Therefore, the quality of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, which grows at an altitude of 8-1200 meters, is the best.

It can be seen that the conditions for the cultivation of high-quality coffee are very strict: sunlight, rainfall, soil, air temperature, as well as the way coffee beans are harvested and the production process will affect the quality of coffee itself.

There are more than 6000 species of coffee trees, most of which are tropical trees and shrubs. There are four main coffee trees in the world, of which only two are of real commercial value and are planted in large quantities, and the quality of the coffee beans produced by other coffee trees is also higher than that of other coffee trees.

The first is Arabica beans, which account for 70% of the world's output. The world-famous Blue Mountain Coffee and Mocha Coffee are almost all Arabica. The other is the Robasta species, which is native to the Congo in Africa and accounts for about 20% to 30% of the world's output. Different varieties of coffee beans have different tastes, but even the same varieties of coffee trees have their own unique flavor due to the influence of different soil and climate. The other two species are Liberian species and Esselsa species.

Arabica species

The shape of the bean is small, the front is long oval, the middle crack is narrow and tortuous, and the arc on the back of the bean is flat.

Arabica coffee is grown in Brazil and Colombia in South America, Central America, Costa Rica in the Caribbean, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico and Ethiopia. Arabica coffee beans are large, uniform in size and glossy in color. Coffee beans that are generally familiar to everyone, such as Santos in Brazil, Mantenin in Sumatra, Yemenmoka and the Blue Mountains in Jamaica, are all high-quality coffee beans grown in Arabica.

Arabica coffee is more difficult to grow, they like mild days and colder nights, too cold, too hot, too humid climate can be fatal to it. Coffee trees in Arabica need to be planted on sloping slopes at high altitude. they grow luxuriantly in the highlands (600-1800 meters) and require special climatic conditions-the average temperature throughout the year is about 20 degrees Celsius and there is plenty of rainfall without frost. Only more than 50 countries in the world have such conditions, all of which are about 160 kilometers north and south of the equator. Its harvesting must be carried out manually, which is more difficult. However, due to the excellent aroma, balanced taste and low caffeine content of Arabica coffee beans, the actual planting amount accounts for about 70% of the total coffee planting.

The caffeine content of Arabica is relatively low, which is only about half of that of Robasta, so its price is higher.

Robasta species

The bean shape is larger, the front is gradually round, the back is round and convex, and the crack is straight.

Robasta coffee trees are native to Madagascar in central and western Africa and Indonesia in Asia, and account for about 20% to 30% of the world's output. Robasta coffee tree is suitable for planting in the lowlands below 500 meters above sea level, has strong adaptability to the environment, can resist bad climate, resist diseases and insect pests, and does not need much artificial care during soil preparation, weeding and pruning. It can be allowed to grow in the wild, and it is a kind of coffee tree that is easy to cultivate. But its finished product tastes more bitter than Arabica, its caffeine content is higher, and its quality is much lower, so it is mostly used to make instant (instant) coffee. Since it is mainly produced in Africa, most Africans drink robastian coffee.

Liberian species

The Liberian species, the large-grained species, is native to Liberia in Africa, as well as a few countries such as Malaysia. Its cultivation history is slightly shorter than the other two coffee trees. Liberian coffee trees are suitable for growing in lowlands. Its trunk is high and strong, it is 18 meters high, its leaves are large and tough, and its fruits and coffee beans are also very large. Its seed coat is close to the seed kernel and is scarlet when it is mature. The quoted flavor is strong, the caffeine content is medium, the irritation is strong, and the quality is poor. Because of its unique taste, low demand and small cultivated face value, it produces less than 5% of the world's coffee production.

Esselsa species

Ethel sa is a variety discovered in 1904, which is native to the Charlie River Basin in Africa, with small fruit and high yield per plant, especially a drought-resistant variety. The product has a strong flavor, slightly bitter taste and less cultivation.